I Doo, Doo
by Predec2
Summary: Continuation in the Tricky Series. As the boys' wedding day approaches, a new family member threatens to turn the Taylor-Kinney household upside down. Will they survive? Will their wedding even take place? *STORY IS NOW COMPLETE*
1. Chapter 1

This story, while following the events in the other Tricky stories, can be read as a stand-alone fic.

* * *

DISCLAIMER: QAF and its characters are the sole property of Cowlip and Showtime. No copyright infringement is intended.

 _A certain blond is determined to obtain what he fervently wants for his wedding present. Will he succeed?_

**This story is complete. I will post a chapter about every two days. Hope you enjoy it!**

 _Previously..._

The ringing of the landline phone nearby brought Brian out of his reverie; to his consternation he had found out that when they moved out to Britin, they did not have a reliable cellphone signal at times, so they had been forced to keep a landline phone to ensure all business calls were received. The phone rang once, twice, three times before Brian sarcastically commented, "Oh, that's okay; I'll get the phone."

"Asshole," was the remark as Brian grinned and reached to pick up the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Uh... Mr. Taylor?" A deep, female voice asked tentatively.

"No, it's Brian Kinney."

"Oh! Mr. Kinney! I didn't recognize your voice."

Brian rolled his eyes; that made two of them, because the voice was not familiar at all to him. He was about to ask who the fuck it was when the caller identified herself.

"This is Sandra Cranston, your next-door neighbor."

Brian could hear a clattering noise coming from the other side of the white partition and hoped Justin hadn't spilled a bunch of paint on the new hardwood floor as he replied, "Yeah, you're Sassy's owner."

"Sadie," Sandra told him.

"Yeah...Okay. The dog climber."

"Right," she said with a sort of snort. There was a brief hesitation before she continued, "Uh, Mr. Kinney, we have a slight problem."

"Oh? Did she get loose again? I haven't seen her around here, if that's what you're asking."

There was a short pause on the other end again before Sandra Cranston answered. "Uh, no, that's not why I'm calling."

Brian sighed. "Then how can I help you?" _Were they going to have to play twenty questions or what?_ His neighbor's next words, however, made that unnecessary as her purpose became crystal clear.

"Mr. Kinney, how would you like an addition to the family?"

 _Shit._

* * *

 _Two Months Later...Friday_

Brian sighed in relief as he pulled into the garage and turned off the motor. It had been a hell of a day at work, and he was enormously relieved to be home. There was just something about their place that made his blood pressure instantly lower.

Swinging his long legs out of the car, he turned and headed toward the door leading into the house, stopping as he reached for the handle to go inside. There, hanging down from the doorknob, was a retractable dog leash; a NEW, retractable dog leash. He shook his head as he took the contraption and placed it on a metal rack nearby, along with some other related items. He groaned. _Not again..._

This was the fourth dog supply item he had encountered this month. A few days after Sandra Cranston had called to inform him that their dog, Sadie, was pregnant, asking him if he and Justin would like one of her puppies, his fiancé had begun not-so-subtly leaving little 'mementos' all over the house.

First, it was a small, stainless steel dog dish, lying on top of the coffee table with butter mints in it. (At least it had been a clean one). Then, there was the industrial sized bag of Puppy Chow that appeared in the garage in a plastic, flip-top dog food bin one day, placed not-so-subtly right next to the door leading into the house.

Last week, it had been a coupon for Doggy Obedience Training that just seemed to magically appear in the middle of a stack of bills on his desk in the study.

And now this; a red-handled, 25-foot, retractable dog leash for a 'medium-sized' dog. Now if only Justin would get it right and buy a studded dog collar for some 'extra-curricular' activities the two of THEM could participate in, then perhaps one of the items could be put to good use. But as of now, all these canine-related items merely served to remind him of who the 'stud' had been who had knocked Sadie up, and the idea of having one of that dog's offspring running around the house - or ANYONE'S canine offspring, for that matter - made him cringe and envision all sorts of evils.

He had tried not to even divulge to Justin what their next-door neighbor had told him; in fact, he had managed to keep his mouth shut about it for at least a few days after quickly telling her thanks, but no thanks. But unfortunately as they sometimes did, Justin and Sandra met at the fence one day when Sadie had gotten loose once more, and their neighbor had promptly spilled the beans about her 'delicate condition,' assuming that Justin already knew. Now it was all his fiancé could think about. Well, that and their wedding coming up soon. He sighed as he took one, last look at the dog leash and other sundry items before he opened the door and walked inside.

He immediately smelled the enticing aroma of one of his favorite meals - _Beef Bourguignon_ \- as he stepped into the kitchen. And as he looked over at the stove, his body tingled in admiration while certain parts of his anatomy went on high alert - emphasis on the 'high' part. There, standing at the stove stirring the pot, was his beautiful partner wearing a white, linen apron tied around his slim waist - and nothing underneath, exposing his delectable bubble butt for his greedy inspection. His eyes darkened with lust, and his cock twitched in appreciation as Justin turned around to flash one of his million-dollar smiles at him. "Hey, Brian. Hungry?" he asked with a sexy smirk.

Brian draped his suit jacket over the back of the nearby desk chair, walking over to his fiancé and sweeping his eyes up and down to openly ogle the curves and angles of creamy, smooth, unblemished skin. _How does he do that?_ Brian marveled. HE was the one who spent a long amount of time each day with expensive lotions to ensure the same effect, and Justin never touched the shit. "Depends. I'm always hungry for certain items. Precisely what are you offering?" he drawled seductively as he leered at him.

Justin grinned; his face tinged with a little pink as he blushed slightly over the tone of Brian's voice. Dipping his wooden spoon into the sauce, he turned around and held it up for Brian's inspection. "Taste," he quietly commanded, as Brian partly opened his lips to sample it.

He waited a few seconds until Brian nodded. "That's damn good," he told him as Justin beamed. Coming from Brian that was a sublime compliment, far above his standard 'not bad.'

"What is it? It tastes just like _Beef Bourguignon_ to me...just with some more vegetables thrown in."

Justin put the spoon down into the pot before he turned back around to slide his arms around Brian's neck. "Nope, I thought I'd try something new." He grinned slyly. "I call it...Irish Wolfhound Stew."

Brian rolled his eyes and pressed his lips together in amusement. "Uh, huh. Well, I might call it something else," he told him with a smirk. _Like a bribe - or blackmail..._

Justin eyed him innocently. "Oh? Well, the real name for it, according to the cookbook, is Beef Stew with Vegetables. But that sounds so ordinary. I prefer the other name...don't you?" He lightly played with the back of Brian's hair as he smiled up at him, batting his baby blues at him.

"Justin..." was the warning as Brian sighed, deciding to just ignore the overt hint. "When will dinner be ready? I'd like to go take a shower first." He loosened his tie, suddenly bothered by how tight it was around his neck.

His fiancé's trademark, brilliant smile diminished in reaction - which Brian hated, knowing he was the cause of it. But damn it, he was not going to be coerced into bringing a clone of Cujo into his house, his oasis. That would be like bringing a bull into the proverbial china shop. And as much as he deeply loved Justin, even HE had some boundaries that had to be kept. Wasn't it enough that he allowed Gus to bring Tricky with him whenever he came to visit? There was no way he could possibly handle TWO of them; especially not a canine that had one ounce of the same genetic material as his dear, old Dad did. And an untrained puppy to boot? It would be like trying to raise a newborn with fur. At least the human kind was somewhat controllable - and you could use diapers and baby bottles with them.

Justin let out a resigned breath - or so it seemed. "About thirty minutes," he told him softly, turning around to begin stirring the pot again, signaling to Brian that their brief conversation was over for now. He leaned in from behind to place his hands on Justin's biceps, holding him against his body and clearly indicating his growing desire for him as he nuzzled the side of his neck briefly. "You can put that on simmer while you take care of something else that's damn near boiling over," he huskily suggested. How this man could make him hard as a rock in seconds, merely by smelling him and holding him continued to astound him.

But he was soon disappointed. "I have to watch this," Justin insisted, his voice a little clipped. "You go ahead."

Brian bit back a sigh. "Fine," he answered a bit curtly himself. "I'll be back down shortly." Releasing his lover, he turned and, picking up his suit jacket, he headed toward the hallway.

Just before he could leave the room, however, Justin called over to him. "Brian?"

He turned around, hoping Justin had changed his mind, or at the very least was not going to launch into another discourse on the wonders of owning a pet. "Yes?" he asked cautiously.

"Don't forget Emmett's coming over tonight to discuss the catering arrangements for the wedding."

Brian nodded, realizing he had actually forgotten all about it. "Is he staying for dinner?"

Justin shook his head. "No...I invited him, but he had other plans. He'll be here around seven."

Brian digested that information. "Okay. But I told you before...whatever you want is fine with me. I don't really need to be that involved with all the details."

"Anything?" Justin replied, one eyebrow raised.

Brian huffed; he knew precisely what his fiancé was trying to say, and he was NOT going to give in. "Sunshine, we've discussed this over and over again. Anything but _that._ Okay?" Not waiting for a reply when it wasn't immediately forthcoming, he finally turned and headed down the hallway toward the stairs leading up to the master bathroom before Justin could say anything else.

Justin sighed as he watched Brian retreat; the 'not-so-subtle' approach didn't seem to be working as well as he had hoped. He smiled after a few moment, however; perhaps he needed to ante up the 'persuasion' just a notch.

* * *

 _Later that Evening..._

"Are you sure you're okay with what I chose?" Justin pressed. They were presently sitting in bed with their backs pressed up against the wooden headboard; Brian was reading an advertising trade magazine, while Justin was sketching ideas for how he wanted the backyard to look for their outdoor wedding in a month. This was a typical evening ritual for the two of them whenever Brian had to head into work the next morning: eat dinner whenever Brian returned home (he normally had to text or call Justin to tell him what time, since his schedule varied so much), have an after-dinner drink while watching a little TV or a movie on demand, or listen to some music. Then - after some making out on the leather couch downstairs - they would set the security alarm and head up to bed, where Brian would catch up with some research about some of his clients, Justin would do more sketching for a project he was working on, they would then fuck (of course, Justin considered it making love, instead, and Brian did, too, only he would never admit that out loud), and then they would take a leisurely shower together afterward where they would fuck some more in between getting clean and washing each other's bodies off.

Then...finally, after a little more light making out, they would finally fall asleep in each other's arms. It was a notoriously, almost hetero lifestyle in its regularity, but the two of them enjoyed it immensely, and they figured why fix something it if wasn't broken?

Brian glanced over at him and shook his head. "You know I'm fine with whatever you and Emmett decide," he told him. "As long as the wedding colors don't wind up matching most of Emmett's outfits. NO pastels."

"Cross my dick...uh, heart," Justin promised with a grin, as he raised three fingers pressed together for emphasis. "No pastels. We decided on navy and gold."

Brian heaved a sigh of relief. "I can live with that," he decided with a nod. "Our suits?"

Justin advised him, "Navy suits with subtle gold pinstriping."

Brian nodded in relief. "Good. Then that will give me an excuse to buy a new Armani suit for the special occasion."

Justin laughed. "But you have several navy suits already."

"I know," Brian replied in agreement. "But this is a special occasion. I only plan on getting married once."

Justin flushed with pleasure; it wasn't a particularly romantic response - not coming from most people - but to him it spoke volumes about Brian's commitment to him. "Oh. Okay...I can live with that," he declared with a smile as they leaned over to kiss; pulling back, Brian smiled that crooked kind of smile that always made Justin's heart skip a beat, and he couldn't help smiling back at him in return before his fiancé returned to his magazine article.

They sat that way for several seconds in companionable silence until Justin spoke up again. "Uh...Brian?"

Not bothering to look up from his article, his fiancé replied, "Hmm?" While he had been around during Emmett's visits, he hadn't paid much mind to what the two friends were discussing; as long as they kept it rather small - which he had already made Justin promise to do - and they didn't use any pastels or plastic silverware or - God forbid - those awful, fold-out, paper accordion bells, he was okay with whatever they had arranged. He trusted Justin's artistic sensibility - and how well he knew his taste - to know that he wouldn't arrange anything cheap or tacky for his own wedding.

"I baked some banana bread today."

Brian nodded as he continued to read the article, adjusting the half-frame glasses higher on the bridge of his nose. He had intially hated the fucking things, but once he determined they were much more comfortable than putting in contacts, and that he only needed them for reading, he had come to accept them. Of course, Justin telling him that they looked sexy on him didn't hurt, either. "That's nice," he answered distractedly, wondering why he should care. He never touched any of that high-carb shit.

Justin hesitated. "I took some over to the neighbors."

Brian continued to read, Justin's last statement only barely registering in his mind as he continued to study the article he was reading, thinking it would be helpful for one of the new clients he had just obtained for Kinnetik. "That was thoughtful of you."

"Sandra told me it was her favorite thing to eat with her coffee," Justin added, holding his breath. "She even asked me for the recipe, because she says she can never get the texture right, and hers comes out dry all the time."

Brian's brain finally registered what his lover was saying as he slowly laid the magazine down on the mattress and took a deep breath. "You took food over to that canine slut's owner?"

Justin shrugged, trying to hold back his smile over Brian's choice of words. "Well, I had extra, and I knew _you_ wouldn't eat any," he teased him as Brian grunted. "I didn't want it to go to waste."

"Uh...of course," the brunet replied dryly. "How...economical of you." He paused. "You didn't by chance have an ulterior motive, did you?"

Justin plastered an innocent look on his face. "What do you mean? It was just a nice gesture toward one of our neighbors."

"Uh, huh. You know exactly what I mean, _Mr. 1500 S.A.T."_ He sighed as he carefully placed his glasses down on the bedside table, noting the hopeful look in the blue eyes; if it was one thing Brian hated, it was disappointing the man he loved more than life itself. But he also needed to preserve his sanity, too. "Justin, we've discussed this over and over again. I thought we had settled it. We decided it would be too much to have both Cujo and his demon spawn here at the same time."

"No, _Mr. Kinney_. YOU decided that," Justin clarified stiffly as he put his sketchbook down and crossed his arms over his chest.

Brian rolled his eyes in response to his lover's petulance. "I can't believe we're discussing this again," he muttered. "On second thought, no, Justin, I am _not_ going to discuss this again," he decided, before promptly launching into just that. "Is your memory getting cloudy in your old age? Do you not remember everything that dog did while he was here? And you want to compound that by bringing one of his clones into our happy homo home? And a puppy at that! They don't arrive housetrained already like some preassembled electronic gadget. And if it has one iota of that dog's genes, it won't even BE trainable. They kicked Tricky out of obedience school, remember?" He shook his head, receiving a stony silence in response. "It's bad enough I have to put up with him whenever Gus comes to visit. But at least he's not here on a permanent basis, and I _can_ have some control over who does or doesn't live in our home." He shuddered at the thought.

"Well, at least you remembered it's _our_ home," was the quiet rejoinder. "By the way, have you forgotten that Tricky saved both my life and your son's? If that dog hadn't been here, _I_ wouldn't be here. And there's a good chance your son wouldn't be, either. Maybe you should think about that."

Brian swallowed hard. He didn't like to think about those two periods in their lives; just the thought of losing either his son or Justin made him almost physically ill. "I am well aware of that," he responded softly, his voice hitching with emotion. He brushed one hand through his hair restlessly, tousling it in every direction, before reaching over to rest his hand against Justin's cheek. The stubbornness, as well as disappointment, were clearly etched on his fiancé's beautiful face, but as Brian laid his hand against his cheek, the golden eyelashes fluttered closed in reaction to his touch. "If I ever lost you...or Gus..." Brian was unable to say the words. He cleared his throat, feeling awkward as well as vulnerable as Justin's eyes slowly opened back up to stare over at him.

"I know," Justin admitted. "I'm sorry. It's just that you're gone a large part of the day - and it gets kind of lonely here all by myself in this big house. Not that I don't love living here, and having my studio out back to work in," he hastened to add. "But...it would be nice to have some company when you're not here."

Brian eyed him wryly. "Are you comparing my company to a dog's, Sunshine?" he teased him, slowly stroking Justin's jawline as he spoke.

Justin reached up to grasp Brian's hand in his, holding it over his heart as he replied softly, "Of course not. There's no comparison. A dog wouldn't talk back to me - or care if I bought her an off-the-rack sweater or an Armani edition. And she wouldn't be nearly as picky an eater as someone else I know, either."

Brian snorted. "And they eat out of the same dish every day, too, and drink out of toilet bowls. Your point is?"

Justin sighed. "I had dogs growing up when I was young, and they were such great companions. They're loyal, faithful..."

"So are Boy Scouts, but you don't see one of THEM here."

"Brian!" was the quick rebuke as the brunet rolled his lips under with a crooked grin. "You've been asking me over and over again what I want for my wedding present. Well, I have everything I could ever want or need, except..."

Brian let out a deep breath of resignation. "She, huh? Sounds like you already have one picked out."

Justin had the decency to appear sheepish as he admitted, "Well, Sandra did invite me in to see them, and I didn't want to be rude."

Brian shook his head in amusement. "Of course not; we couldn't have that, could we?"

Justin's face broke out into an animated smile as he recalled meeting them for the first time earlier today. "You should see them, Brian! They are _so_ adorable! Some are brown like Sadie, and some are blond like Tricky. Two boys and two girls. She actually had nine, but she's found homes for most of them already. She told me that since Tricky was the father, she would give me my choice of any of the ones that are left. There was this chocolate brown female that toddled right up to me when I was there. She had the cutest face, and these big, sad eyes..."

He would have gone on and gone if Brian hadn't interrupted him by holding his left hand up. "I figured as much." He stared into Justin's eyes for a few moments before coming to a decision; one that he suspected he would deeply regret, but he knew he could never deny this man anything. He pressed his lips together, his eyes boring into his lover's as he told him firmly, "You will housetrain that runt, and be solely responsible for its care. And you will walk it - _her_ \- every day, until she's exhausted afterward so she won't have any energy left for...destruction. You will use that obedience training certificate you so cleverly hid in my mail to make sure this dog knows its place. And she will NOT sleep in our bedroom, or have full run of the house, especially my office. During the day, she can stay with you out in your studio. And she will need to be brushed every day. I am NOT going to have her shedding hair like a fucking Shetland pony all over the house, And most of all, you will have that beast spayed as soon as possible; the last thing I want is to be responsible for any further propagation of Cujo's bloodlines..."

Justin's face lit up, almost blinding him with his smile, as he realized what Brian was saying, and the air was promptly knocked out of him when he was tackled to the mattress and his partner straddled him, quickly subjecting him to soft, butterfly kisses peppering his neck, face, shoulders, and chest. He thought fleetingly that it felt a lot like Cujo when _he_ licked him, but as his fiancé impatiently shoved his sleep pants down his ankles in between whispers of "thank you, thank you, thank you," and as a certain blond proceeded to kiss and lick him in places where Tricky had never gone before, he quickly decided this was infinitely better. As passion and desire began to flare within him - just as it always did whenever he and Justin made love - he quickly forgot about the calamity that was no doubt about to enter their lives.


	2. Her Name is What!

_Justin prepares for his bundle of joy's arrival. Brian prepares to go out of his mind._

* * *

 _Two Days Later..._

Brian stared at the piece of furniture sitting prominently in the room down the hall from his and Justin's master bedroom, his hands perched on his hips in disbelief; since he had given his not-so-enthusiastic permission for his fiancé to have a dog (fuck, he couldn't believe he had actually agreed to it!), Justin had wasted no time preparing for its imminent arrival in a few days.

"Justin, that is NOT a dog bed; it's a fucking _couch_!" Brian growled. His mouth hung open in astonishment; he didn't even know they made dog beds that opulent. It was almost...obscene, and not in a good way. He walked closer to the structure to examine it in more detail. "Tell me that's _not_ leather."

Gnawing on his thumbnail, Justin shook his head. "No, it's a vinyl material. Leather wouldn't be very durable - and it would be a bitch to clean." He glanced anxiously over at his thunderstruck fiancé. "I might have gone a little overboard," he admitted. "But I wanted her to be comfortable."

Brian snorted. " _A little overboard?_ No, this is more like buying an extra-large sized bed for a fucking Chihuahua! Justin, I've stayed in _hotel rooms_ that had a smaller bed than this!" His eyes strayed downward as he noticed something for the first time: a name woven into the fabric near the bottom. "Xena? That's an odd name for a furniture manufacturer."

His fiancé shuffled awkwardly on his feet. "Uh...That's because it's not. It's...well...Sandra...she named all the puppies when they were born based on their personalities. One was called Thumper..."

"Humper?"

Justin laughed. "No, you dirty, old man..."

"Hey...!

Justin grinned. "As I was saying, she called one of them THUMPER," he accentuated the word this time in case Brian had become hard of hearing in addition to needing reading glasses, "...because he liked to thump his tail on the floor when he wagged it; then there was Sleepy Boy - because he always seemed to be sleeping; Nipper - that was one of the girls - because she liked to nip at you with her baby teeth..."

"Please tell me you did NOT choose that one," Brian warned him. I do NOT want puppy hickies."

Justin shook his head, but he didn't smile, which, for some reason, made Brian uneasy. "And...?"

Justin hesitated before adding finally, "Well, then there was...Xena."

"Huh?" Brian frowned in confusion as he glanced once more at the name woven into the bed; his mouth hung open as realization set in, however, and he had a chance to digest what his partner had just said. "You're telling me you picked out a dog with the name of Xena?"

Justin studied his fiancé intently before he nodded. "Yeah...You know; the Warrior Princess."

Brian stared at him as if he had gone mad before he guffawed. "You've _got_ to be kidding! I knew that woman was a nut case. Who would call a dog Xena, the Warrior Princess? Oh, Mikey will love that!" he commented dryly. He brushed his hand through his hair before adding, "I know I'm going to regret this. But tell me why you picked THAT one? Something tells me it's not because they both look good in brown." He noticed no quick answer forthcoming, making him just a bit more apprehensive. He _knew_ that look...and it did not bode well. "Justin?" he pressed, an eyebrow raised questioningly. "Answer the question, Sunshine." There was no hesitation in his voice to indicate Justin had a choice, and his fiancé knew that.

"Well...I knew you wouldn't want some froufrou dog," Justin began sensibly. "You know, with pink bows and painted toenails."

Brian's face contorted with disgust at the mere thought. "Why the fuck would I want a dog that looks like Emmy Lou? No, I certainly would NOT," he had to agree. "But there's a vast difference between prissy poodles and manly mutts."

Justin snickered then over Brian's description, unable to help himself and eliciting a heavy sigh of impatience from his partner. He cleared his throat and tried to get his smile under control. "True," he agreed at last.

"I'm waiting..." Brian reminded him, foot tapping as he watched Justin sashay up to him with those big, baby-blue eyes, knowing it had to be bad if he was resorting to that tactic. Trying his damnedest not to be affected by the mournful expression on Justin's face, or the smell of his lover's body as he pressed himself against him, his arms sliding up to rest behind his neck, he strove to not be affected. _Control, Kinney. Must show control..._

"I _had_ to take her, Brian," Justin explained then as he played with his fiance's hair at the nape of his neck. "She was the last one left, and if no one took her, they...they were going to take her to the animal shelter! I couldn't let that happen to her. And she really IS sweet," he added hastily, as Brian moved to speak. "She's just...rambunctious. But she'll grow out of it; she's just in that puppy stage. Besides, it's just furniture."

"Just furniture? What do you mean... _just furniture_? We weren't talking about furniture here." Reaching up to grasp both of Justin's hands in his, Brian slid them down to rest between their bodies as he captured them against his chest. "Justin?"

The blond sighed. "Well...She has this taste for furniture...well, at least, the legs, anyway. But only maple furniture; at least, that's all they have over at Sandra's house that's made out of wood. She doesn't like Formica, either. She hasn't touched that."

Brian harrumphed. "Oh, thank goodness. A dog with expensive tastes. Well, that should only affect our entire furniture collection, then! Justin!"

"Brian, calm down! I've been doing some research...and you can buy this stuff that deters dogs from chewing on furniture. And I'll take her to training right away...or better yet, I'll arrange to have a trainer come out HERE! That way, she can be taught right in her own home what to stay away from. It'll work out; you'll see. Surely you'd rather have a puppy with spunk, than one that lies around and sleeps all day long." He smirked at his fiancé. "I know how much you love spunk, so the two of you should get along quite nicely."

"Not THAT kind of spunk," Brian muttered. He was fervently trying to maintain his 'irritated' look, but he found that it was quite difficult with the warm, soft body currently plastered against his. He sighed. "I'm not going to win this battle, am I?" he murmured.

Justin shrugged, not wanting to press his luck.

"At least please reassure me that you will not allow this...this _inconvenience_ to sleep in our bedroom. That was part of our agreement, remember? And you will NEVER buy any dog toy that utters anything remotely resembling a mooing sound."

Justin chuckled at the remembrance of one of Tricky's toys as he grinned back at him. "Got it. No mooing. And she will not need to sleep with us. That's what _this_ room is for. This will be HER room, and we will have OUR room. And never the twain shall meet."

Brian snorted, not quite sure he believed that. "Can the Shakespeare, Sunshine. A simple 'I promise' will suffice."

"It was Rudyard Kipling."

"Huh?"

"Never the twain shall...Oh, never mind."

Brian rolled his eyes. "Whatever. You catch my drift, though. Promise me," he commanded, wondering how he wound up in these predicaments. Before Justin came along, the hardest decision he ever had to make was which designer suit to wear to work - or which trick at Babylon to bring back to the loft. Boy, had things changed since then!

"I _did_ promise!" Justin reminded him, unable to keep from smiling now that he had emerged as the victor. "It'll be fine," he insisted.

"Uh, huh. And while you're making promises, don't forget our previous agreement about who's going to take care of this Cujo spawn. I'll have Ted draw up a contract to ensure adherence."

Justin's mouth fell open in disbelief...until he saw the roll of Brian's lips afterward, telling him just how 'serious' he was about a written agreement. "If that will make you feel better."

"Well, I know something _else_ that will make me feel better."

Justin grinned. "Oh? Tell me more."

Brian smirked. "Why don't I show you? Xena's not the only one who does it doggie style."

Justin giggled; one minute later, the two of them were naked and on the simulated leather bed to properly christen it...and check out its wear ability factor.

* * *

 _The Following Weekend...One Month before the Wedding...Saturday_

"Well, if it isn't the Big, Bad Wolf."

Brian glanced up from his mug of coffee, the latest edition of _The Wall Street Journal_ lying on the counter in front of him. "And it's Little Red Riding Hood." He smirked, noticing Emmett's ensemble of a bright red tee-shirt and yellow and red checkered pants. "My, what bad taste you have." Emmett scowled as Brian advised, "If you're looking for Goldilocks, he's upstairs in the Warrior Princess's room."

"Excuse me?" Emmett frowned. He had spoken with Justin about an hour ago in regards to him coming out to review the final details for his and Brian's wedding reception, and Justin had told him to just come on in when he arrived, since he would be expecting him. Not finding anyone near the front foyer - or Justin in his outdoor studio - he had wandered back toward the kitchen located in the rear of the house.

"Just go on upstairs, and listen for the whining and the goo-goo baby talk; you'll find him."

"O...kay," Emmett replied, confused. Opening his mouth to say something else, he thought better of it as Brian glanced back down at his magazine in seeming dismissal before he turned and headed back down the hallway toward the steps.

As soon as he reached the upstairs landing, however, he could hear it: a soft whining noise and then a sharp, yipping sound, followed by his friend's voice filtering down the hallway. "No... _sit_ , Xena! No, you can't have that until you do what I say! Put that down! Aargh!" Intrigued, Emmett walked further down the hallway toward his friend's voice until he came to an open door on his right, a few doors down from Brian and Justin's master bedroom suite. Peering in through the door, he couldn't help grinning as he noticed a chocolate Labrador puppy facing Justin, whose back was to him. He took a moment to look around the room in awe, noting the large-sized bed (a dog bed?!), along with a folding baby gate leaning against a wall, various dog toys strewn about, and a mural painted in meticulous detail on the opposite wall, no doubt drawn by a certain, extremely talented artist. He recognized Gus's dog, Tricky, in the montage, along with Gus himself, who was throwing a stick for his dog in the painting, which illustrated the entire landscape surrounding Britin, along with the house itself. Just like everything Justin created, it was an amazing depiction. "Wow, I should be this lucky," he couldn't help murmuring. All he had at HIS apartment in the way of a mural was a souvenir tapestry hanging over his couch that he had obtained at some tacky gift shop in Tijuana, depicting some bullfighter. At the sound of his voice, both man and beast turned to study him, the puppy taking off in a lumbering sort of beeline straight towards him.

"No, Xena! Heel! _Heel!_ " Justin exclaimed as Xena promptly squatted in preparation to leave a watery 'calling card' on the floor. "No! Shit! Not again!" he cried. Sighing heavily, he crouched down to wipe up the urine from the hardwood floor with a some paper towels, throwing them in a container that suspiciously resembled a Diaper Genie. Enormously relieved that it was Emmett instead of Brian, he huffed in frustrated exasperation as he rushed over to scoop the puppy up into his arms, seconds before she could launch herself against Emmett's legs. At the present age, that was as far as she could reach, even standing on her hind legs, but Justin had quickly found out that Xena possessed a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth. At least with Tricky, the dog had outgrown that stage and had already obtained his permanent teeth before he and Brian had even met him. But Xena still had a hardy set of puppy teeth, and seemed to relish chewing on _everything_ presently, including legs...table type as well as human. "Sorry about that, Em," Justin apologized. "She's a bundle of energy; an _incorrigible_ bundle of energy." He flinched in surprise as the dog reached up and promptly licked him right in the mouth, causing him to shrink back just enough so the dog couldn't lick him again.

Emmett laughed at Justin's ' _I just ate a lemon'_ expression, watching as his friend wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Well! I'm not sure what to say about this newest addition to your family," he told his friend. "I think you've almost left me speechless. Not an easy thing to do with me," he quipped. He smiled down at the squirming bundle in Justin's arms. "And just who have we here?" he cooed, as he lifted his gaze to look at his friend. He frowned. "Did I just hear you call this petite little lady Xena?"

Justin nodded with a grin. "You heard right." He pointed over at the dog bed located front and center in the room, the dog's name embroidered regally across the front. "And trust me; it fits." He shook his head. "I should have known there was more to my neighbor Sandra naming her that just because she liked to play a little rough with her siblings." This particular animal definitely had Tricky's genes in abundance. Her predilection for getting into trouble - and her case of selective hearing when Justin was trying to get her to behave - was surpassed only by her legendary father. Even with the trainer coming in twice a week to work with her, Justin had been forced to conduct some additional remedial instruction with his pupil - with limited success. He sighed heavily as he peered down at the puppy, who seemed to be getting bigger by the day, if not the hour. "She is so stubborn. She will NOT do what I want. If I tell her to sit, she rolls over and wants me to rub her belly. If I ask her to heel, she seems to think that's a command to rush over and pick up the heel of a shoe instead! She's chewed up a couple pairs of my sneakers already. And her answer to my placing her leash on her is to grab it by the teeth and play tug-of-war with it." He brushed his hand through his hair in frustration. "Maybe I should have taken Brian's advice."

"I can guess what THAT was. Don't bring her home at all...right?" Justin nodded wearily. "Well, Baby, if that dog is as pigheaded as you _say_ she is, your man must really be in love with you, then, because Brian is NOT a dog person. Well, at least he wasn't until now." He smiled. "You seemed to have tamed him, though."

Justin peered down at the latest edition to their family, who gazed up at him with a guileless, innocent expression on her face. It was hard to stay mad at someone who was so adorable and totally clueless as to how incorrigible she was. "Well, I'm glad I could tame _someone_." He shook his head. "I'm not sure this one will EVER be domesticated." He grinned over at Emmett. "And don't let Brian ever hear you say that I 'tamed' him. He might be a little more...tolerant now. But tamed? I don't think you can ever tame a tiger; nor would I want to." Emmett agreed by grinning back at him with a nod. "What was I thinking? This is one of _Tricky's_ offspring! I should have known better! But they were talking about taking her to the shelter...and...well...Tricky did save my life. And Gus's. So I guess I owe it to him to at least try and get Xena under control. I suspect this is going to take a fortune, though. Most puppies can be trained in six weeks. OUR trainer told me yesterday she'd give it about six MONTHS. Em, I don't _have_ six months! Brian and I are getting married soon! And Brian doesn't know this yet...but Gus is planning on bringing Tricky with him when he and his moms come for the wedding. Brian thinks he's leaving him with a friend while they're here. But Gus was so upset over having to be separated from him that he called here in tears the other day when Brian was out of town on business, bawling his eyes out and telling me how much he would miss Tricky if he couldn't come, too."

Emmett's eyes grew wide. "Well, there you have it," he told him mysteriously.

"Have what?"

"Your first marital spat...before the marital part. Someone is NOT going to be happy about his biggest fan coming to visit...and with another little troublemaker to boot."

Justin nodded helplessly. "I know. But what could I do, Em? I couldn't say no to him. Tricky HAS mellowed out somewhat since his last visit - at least, according to Lindsay and Mel. So maybe he'll actually be a good role model for Xena." Silently, however, he didn't really believe that. Quite the contrary; something told him that Tricky would not be a good influence on the impressionable Xena at all.

Emmett eyed him skeptically. "Do you really believe that?"

"No," Justin answered truthfully, grimacing. "But I can always hope."

Emmett stared at the doe-eyed puppy in Justin's arms that seemed to be continually in motion; she obviously didn't like being confined. Justin finally gave up and lowered the dog to the ground...retrieving a tennis ball he had stuffed in his pocket. He threw the ball toward the corner of the room, and the puppy charged after it, just like Justin knew she would. Em hoped Justin was right, and that perhaps having some other canine company would be a settling influence on Xena. But in reality he feared that putting father and daughter in the same household - especially during an outdoor wedding - was going to be a recipe for disaster. "Uh...Sweetie? Will you have them restricted somewhere during your wedding? That might be wise." He didn't want to tell Justin what to do...but even HE could see the sense in being cautious.

"Oh, don't worry," Justin assured him. "Are you kidding? I'm not going to let either one of them within a hundred feet of MY wedding; I've waited too long for this, and I'm not about to give Brian an excuse to back out at the last minute."

Emmett's eyes widened. "Do you think he would do that? I mean...I know he loves you, but it IS Brian we're talking about."

"No, but I'm not taking _any_ chances, Em." He watched as Xena proudly trotted back to him with the lime green tennis ball stuffed in her mouth, all gangly body and oversized paws; Emmett chuckled as he watched Justin lean down to try and pull the ball out of the animal's mouth, only to flinch and utter an "Ow!" when the dog's puppy teeth bit down on his finger by mistake. "That hurt!" He growled as he sucked on the tip of his index finger. He glared down at her, receiving a wagging tail in response. "Okay, then. Have it your way!" Justin retorted with a scowl, as the dog cocked its head to the side curiously. "JI said just forget it." As if on cue, as soon as Justin gave up, the animal promptly dropped the ball at his feet and yipped impatiently as it rolled toward him.

"Sure...NOW you drop it," he replied. Letting out a deep breath to quell his anxiety, he reached down and once more threw the ball as far into the corner as he could.

Emmett chuckled over her antics. "She definitely has Tricky's genes in her, all right," he observed dryly as the dog lumbered toward the ball, skidding on the smooth, polished surface and her toenails clicking on the wood as she righted herself and rushed toward the tennis ball, her tail wagging in a circle pattern as she snared it like a tiger stalking its prey. "I suspect you'll have to register that tail as a deadly weapon before too long."

"Shhh," Justin admonished him. "Don't say that too loudly; it was hard enough getting Brian to agree to it. He's already stressed out as it is with all this wedding shit without reminding him that one of Tricky's 'Satan's spawns,' as he calls her, is living with us."

Emmett chuckled. "I _bet_ it was hard," he commented as Justin blushed. "I can just imagine how _hard_ it was. I'm sure he was quick to refresh your memory, too. But you always DID know the true way to that man's heart...and it isn't food."

Justin grinned. "Yeah, it still works, too; usually," he confirmed. "But even great sex doesn't always work when I need to persuade him about something _this_ challenging." He peered down at the bundle of energetic fluff presently gazing back up at him, noticing how huge the puppy's feet already were. He sighed. "Part of the way I was able to persuade Brian to let her come here was by telling him how small she was. What I neglected to mention is that normally you can look at the size of their paws when they're young to help figure out how large they'll be when they're full grown."

"But...her paws are huge!"

"I know." Justin nodded. "Don't tell Brian what I just said, though, or he'll have a shit fit, and that's the LAST thing we need with the wedding coming up. I promised him no involvement in the details, and as little stress as possible."

Emmett made a zipping motion across his mouth. "My lips are sealed, baby," he assured him. "As far as the wedding, anyway; what I do with them in my spare time, though, is totally different."

Justin laughed. "You've got a deal, Em." He bit his lip in contemplation. "Now all I have to do is figure out a way to tell Brian about our visitors coming. I guess it wouldn't be wise to wait until Tricky's actually here with Gus, even though he can never say no to his son." He smiled. "But it IS tempting."

Emmett grinned. "Well, Baby, all I can say is...break out the booze, and put your sluttiest moves on him, 'cause you're going to need both, I suspect." His eyes twinkled. "Now who wants cake? I have samples downstairs."

"Let me give Xena a Busy Bone®, and I'll be right down."

"A Busy Bone®?"

Justin nodded. "Believe me, it's a new dog owner's best friend..." He walked over to a small nightstand and pulled out a small package; Xena's ears immediately perked up at the familiar sound of the top being opened, and promptly lost all interest - at least temporarily - in her tennis ball as she bounded over to Justin, turning around excitedly in circles in eager anticipation.

"Oh, yeah...NOW you sit," Justin told her as the dog sat up in front of him, anxiously eying everything that he did. The puppy barely waited until Justin had the granola roll out of the package before he held it down to her and she promptly grabbed it to trot over to her dog bed, jumping up to land in the middle, where she began to munch happily on her treat, her front paws deftly holding the object in place as she began to gnaw on it.

"That will hold her for a little while, at least," Justin told him as they walked over to the door and he quietly closed it behind him. "As long as I come back in a few minutes, she'll be content with that. Believe me, though; I'll know as soon as she's done eating it, because let's just say she'll quite vocally voice her displeasure at being left alone." He smiled excitedly at his friend. "Now what was this about cake?"

"Come with me, Sweetie. I have all kinds of samples downstairs. They're in the kitchen, where the Big, Bad Wolf is reading the paper."

Justin nodded, chuckling at his friend's description. "Well, he'll move as soon as we start mentioning anything about the wedding," he assured him. "He _hates_ being involved with that stuff! Let's go see what you have. I can't wait to taste all of them!"

"Then come with me...and experience the wonders of my Aunt Lula's delights!" Emmett told him, gently grasping his friend by the shoulder and steering him out the door and down the hallway before Xena could notice they were gone.


	3. Cakeand Beefcake

_As Xena continues her assimiliation into the Taylor-Kinney household, Justin is forced to admit that she won't be the ONLY possible troublemaker at Britin during the wedding. What will Brian's reaction be? A little bit of angst in this chapter, along with a little smut.;)_

Brian winced as the sound of whimpering could be heard overhead, accented with an occasional yip of displeasure. "Justin, it's bad enough having to hear you and your girlfriend over there 'oohing' and 'ahhing' over what must be 10,000 calories and unfathomable carbs. But can't you do something about your Amazon Queen upstairs?" He picked up the china mug lying on the kitchen counter and took a big swallow, wondering if he should supplant his drink with a little Beam for fortitude. Not for the first time, he considered his sanity in agreeing to add to their household in the first place.

Justin snorted. "MY queen," he muttered under his breath. He temporarily ignored Brian's grouchiness as he picked up his fork and stabbed a large bite from the next sample of cake. He couldn't help the appreciative moan that escaped his lips a few seconds later as he let the silkiness of the raspberry-chocolate cheesecake slide over his tongue, making certain parts of Brian's anatomy take notice; to him, it sounded much too much like another sort of sound Justin made in bed, and apparently his cock didn't know the difference. "Oh, my God, Em!" Justin raved. "It's got to be _this_ one!" He took another bite, licking his lips to make sure he collected every luscious bit. "Mmm...I love it!"

Emmett nodded with a knowing grin. "Excellent choice, my good sir," he declared in his best, imitation English accent. "It's one of our most requested choices. And I think the Lord of the Manor over there agrees, too," he added with a smirk as he heard a grunt coming from the big, bad wolf sitting at the kitchen counter, observing him adjusting his pants as he sat on one of the stools. Realizing he was being observed, Brian affixed his best death-ray glare on his friend as Justin peered over at him with a smug smile on his face, knowing precisely what was going on and enjoying every second of it.

"She's _always_ been your dog, and always will be," Brian responded. "You _do_ remember our agreement, correct?" he reminded his fiancé.

"Yes, _Mr. Kinney_ ," was the saucy reply as Emmett clamped a hand over his mouth to hide his amusement. "I will continue to personally take care of the eating, sleeping, and pooping machine, as you call her. She _is_ getting better with doing her business outside," he reported, proud of his protégé. He avoided telling Brian that he had had to scoop up a couple of dried turds that he had found in a corner of Xena's room yesterday, however. At least she hadn't pissed on the hardwood this time. Of course, that might be due to the newspapers he had spread all over the floor earlier. For a moment, he almost laughed out loud as he compared the dried-up, shriveled and urine-laced newspaper to a certain stunt that his jealous partner had pulled back in his Rage days. At least Xena's aim was more accurate. Something told him that Brian would not be amused by the comparison he was silently making,however, so he held his tongue.

"Fabulous," Brian deadpanned. "But just remember, Dog Whisperer, our bedroom is off limits, now and forever, to anything that wears fur...unless it's for lining handcuffs. AND our wedding, too." Justin blushed, recalling a scene last week in their bedroom which had included exactly that as Brian peered back at Emmett. "I guess that excludes you, too, then, Emmy Lou." He tsked-tsked. "And what a shame it is. I was going to ask to borrow your skunk fur-lined vest for the wedding."

"Right." Emmett rolled his eyes. He had no intention of missing what he considered to be the grandest gay wedding of the year. It might not wind up being the biggest, but it WOULD be spectacular. As the event planner - and as the grooms's friend - there was no way he was going to miss THIS.

Brian sighed in exasperation as the previous whimpering he had heard before became full-fledged yelping now. "Fuck!" he muttered, quickly losing patience. "Justin, go up and do something about your dog!"

" _My_ dog," his fiancé muttered under his breath. _What? Was he going to have to keep her on his side of the house now, too?_

"She IS your dog," Brian retorted, his ears picking up on what Justin had said. "I never asked for that...that...furry ball of _blubber!"_ He covered his ears as Xena left forth with yet another symphony of whimpers and yelps.

Justin appeared insulted on his...uh, _their_ dog's behalf. "She's not _blubbery_ ," he told him stiffly. "She's just...big-boned." Xena seemed to be growing by the hour, he had to silently concede. But what did Brian expect? Apparently she took after her father in the growth department, instead of her more petite, escape-artist mother.

He glared at Brian as he let forth with a robust guffaw. "Big boned? Justin, that's like saying Debbie is a little loud." He sighed. "Just do something, before I wind up with a splitting headache, okay?" Justin noticed that he had that same, ' _And Lights Out at Eleven '_ pained look that he recalled Brian displaying so many years ago after he had been kicked out of his own house, and his mom had brought his clothes to Brian's office - that barely contained look of irritation and disbelief that he was yet again going along with one of his decisions. _You so love me, Kinney_ , he couldn't help thinking, forcing himself not to smile.

"She doesn't like being left alone," he explained aloud. "She's used to hanging out with me when I'm working in the studio, and can keep her company. She's still just a baby, Brian," he reminded him.

"A baby elephant with a California king-sized dog bed that she is quickly outgrowing," he retorted. "Did you see our credit card bill yesterday? I saw the grocery receipt, Justin. It was 20% higher than the last time you went to the store. How much puppy chow is that hound eating? Maybe it'd be cheaper to go to the feed store, and buy some cow chow instead."

"Maybe it would," Justin answered, a little miffed on her behalf. "She's still growing, and it's not good for puppies to eat adult dog food. I can't help it if she's a robust eater."

"She's a bottomless eating machine, all right...just like someone _else_ I know. Remind me again why I agreed to this?"

Justin shrugged as if he were clueless while Emmett watched the back-and-forth bantering with rapt attention. "Because you love me desperately, and can't bear the thought of being without me? Because you can't stand to see me unhappy? That the sex with me is the most mind-blowing thing you've ever experienced, and you knew if you said no I would never have sex with you again?"

Brian snorted. "Wrong, Blond Boy! Try again." Brian couldn't help snickering when Justin promptly responded by maturely sticking his tongue out at him. "Now, now, Sunshine," he clucked at him. "We have a guest," he admonished him, evoking a rolling of the eyes from Emmett. "But keep thinking about it, and maybe it will come back to you." He grinned as he slid off his counter stool and walked over to give his husband-to-be a kiss on the cheek. "I'll let you girls get back to your cake tasting in the meantime. I'm going into work for a while... _early_." He began to walk away, only to have Justin's next question stop him momentarily.

"Brian! What if I need your input on the wedding?"

Brian turned around to wrap his arms around his husband from behind, nuzzling his neck. "You know I don't care about that shit. You and Emmy Lou handle it." He let go of Justin, scooping up his car keys from the counter. "As long as you don't decorate the backyard in fuchsia and velvet, you know I'm fine with whatever you do."

"Anything?"

Brian sighed. "There you go again," he responded in gentle warning. "Remember what I said, Justin."

Justin harrumphed. "Just don't plan on finding a way to worm your way out of it," he told him as Brian held two fingers up in a 'Scout's Honor' gesture and grinned. "Go," he was told, finally being rewarded with a half-smile. With a smirk and a glance over at Emmett, Brian turned around and headed out the door leading into the garage, leaving the two friends alone.

"Aargh! That man is so exasperating! If I didn't know better, I'd say he was trying to find a way to get out of our wedding yet."

"Now, Baby, you know he's not going to back out now," Emmett reassured him quietly. He knew how much Brian loved him; and despite his earlier denial, he would do _anything_ to make Justin happy...except perhaps marrying him strictly to serve that purpose. That, in and of itself, told Emmett all he needed to know.

Justin nodded. "I know. But I _also_ know he's not too happy about Xena being underfoot. I'm trying to work with her in between the trainer's lessons, but she's definitely got a lot of Tricky in her. She's very...stubborn." He smiled as he paused. "But she's also a lot of fun, and is very lovable...if you can overlook some of her 'imperfections.' Hopefully she'll grow on Brian. After all, Tricky's allowed in the house now without any limitations. We just have to lock up anything that's breakable before he gets here, and overlook the drool he scatters throughout the house."

Emmett chuckled. "I happen to like drool...in the right situation," he told Justin with a wink. Justin laughed. "So is he going to be allowed here during the wedding? That should be an indication of how much Brian is willing to do for you."

"Well, it would be more for Gus's sake than mine," Justin corrected him. He grimaced. "Actually, he thinks Tricky is staying back home with some of Mel and Lindsay's friends. What he _doesn't_ know yet is that Gus had such a fit about leaving him at home that the girls relented and asked me if they could bring him...and I said yes."

Emmett chuckled as his eyes grew wide. "Oh, you'd better not keep THAT a secret! I can just imagine the big, bad wolf's reaction when he learns his biggest fan is coming to the wedding! I mean, I know how much he loves his son, but even the Father of the Year would be hard pressed to agree to that! I've seen that dog in action!"

Justin nodded back at him. "I know...I was kind of hoping to get Xena broken in a little more before I sprung that on him. But I'm running out of time, so I'll have to tell him soon."

Emmett grinned. "Uh...Baby, I hate to tell you this, but soon is _now_. Your wedding is in a few days."

Justin sighed. "I know. I'm just not sure what the best way is to tell him. It was hard enough persuading him to let Xena come live with us."

"I'm sure it was very _hard_ ," Emmett replied with a wink, making Justin blush. He knew Brian well enough to figure out how he and Justin normally resolved things: in a horizontal position. "Well, as your friend and your wedding planner, I suggest just pitching it out there while you're in the throes of some hot, passionate sex right before he comes. Then he'll be too focused on what you're doing to think about what you're saying."

Justin blushed even more as he told his friend, "I'll think about that." His eyes sparkled at the array in front of him. "But now...I'd like to focus on these goodies. I want to try every one of them!"

"I thought you had already made up your mind?"

Justin grinned. "I have - it's that one," he told Em, pointing over at the one he had been raving about moments earlier. "But no point in letting all this good cake go to waste."

Emmett nodded solemnly. "I couldn't agree more! So...where did we leave off? Oh, yeah! Try this marbled one; you're gonna love it!"

* * *

 _Three Days before the Wedding...Morning - Britin_

Justin smiled at the sensation of a warm tongue laving one of his bare nipples as he lay in his and Brian's luxurious bed. The tongue was just rough enough to make each lick a symphony of pleasurable sensations as his entire body began to slowly wake up and come alive. He sighed in contentment, feeling the plushness of the memory foam bed underneath his body, and the softness of the down pillow cradling his head as a pair of warm hands began to slide up the side of his thighs to rest at his waist. Still smiling with his eyes closed, he wriggled under the expert touch. "Hmmm...not now, Xena," he murmured, trying hard to keep his lips from breaking out into an even broader smile. He laughed as he heard a responding 'hmpff' of insulted indignation from his partner. Slowly he opened his eyes to find Brian propped up on his elbows now, hovering over him in all his glory, his auburn hair hanging down into his eyes.

"You asshole! You knew it was me all the time."

Justin giggled. "Of course I did!" He shook his head in amusement. "Brian, Xena's much too small to jump up on our bed. And besides, not only would you have a conniption fit if she wound up in here, but your hands immediately gave you away. Hers have fur on them, remember?"

Brian pondered that for a moment. "You'd let Xena give you tongue? Eww..." His lips curled under and his eyes twinkled at his fiancé, broadcasting his jesting.

Justin rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "No. Well, not _that_ kind of 'tongue,' anyway." He slid his hands up Brian's strong arms to rest them on his fiance's shoulders, his thumbs making swirling motions on the warm, taut skin. "I would know your touch anywhere," he told him softly as he gazed into the other man's eyes. And it was true. He could be deaf and blind, but still would know Brian instantly by how he touched him; how he loved him every time they were together. It was one of the things he cherished most about him.

Brian smiled back at him in a way that made Justin's heart lurch. "Yeah...me, too," he admitted, as he gently turned both of them so that they were on their sides, facing each other. "Can you believe it?" he asked. "Three more days."

Justin smiled, happy that Brian actually sounded like he was looking forward to it. What a long way they had come since that night under the lamppost! "I can't wait," he told him, as the two lovers leaned in for a short but passionate kiss.

Pulling back slightly, Brian pushed Justin onto his back again, looming over him as he balanced his own body on his elbows to either side of his chest. "We're not going to have much time to be alone," Brian reminded him. The girls and Gus would soon be knocking at their door, having decided to arrive by car later today so they could help with any last minute preparations. Also, Gus was to be the official ring bearer for their wedding - just as he would have been the first time they had thought about getting married - and JR would be the flower girl. So Emmett would be out bright and early tomorrow to help Gus and his sister learn the proper procedure for their roles in the ceremony, and to attend to any last-minute preparations before the big event to make sure everything went off without a hitch, telling his friend that this time, _nothing_ was going to prevent his 'Baby' from becoming Mr. Justin Taylor-Kinney, the twink extraordinaire who had captured the big, bad, Brian Kinney's heart.

Justin shivered with anticipation as Brian leaned down to ghost his lips over his chest and then his stomach before swirling his tongue around his belly button; he moaned deep in his throat as Brian coated it with his saliva before slowly moving downward to his desired target. His heart thumping in his chest and his body thrumming with desire, Justin's hands found purchase in Brian's hair as he breathlessly reminded him, "I thought you said...we didn't have much time."

Brian lifted his head to peer into his face, his eyes dark with arousal. "We always have time for this." His voice, throaty and thick with need, made Justin's face warm and his cock harden to a painful level.

His partner was about to plaster his lips around the head of his cock - making Justin even harder at the thought, and rendering him close to incoherent - but he had to talk to Brian before their lovemaking got any further. He gently tugged on his lover's hair. "Brian...wait; I...I have to talk to you."

Brian lifted his head to peer up at him in astonishment. "Talk _now_? Justin, I'm just getting started here. We can 'talk' later; it's overrated, anyway," he added with a smirk. He gripped the base of Justin's cock, prepared to resume his activity, but to his consternation he was thwarted once more as Justin again pulled lightly but determinedly on his hair. "Justin..." his voice was deep and thick with barely-controlled lust. His partner could be a regular chatterbox when he wanted to be...but even this was new for him. Well, he knew of one way to get his mind back on the matters at hand; _nothing_ could be so important that it couldn't wait.

"Brian, I have to tell you something," his fiancé tried once more with a little more urgency. He moaned, however, as Brian's tongue took a long swipe on the underside of his cock, and he decided that Xena's mom wasn't the only slut when it came to sex as he promptly lost all ability to think. He decided his confession could wait as Brian grinned in triumph, beginning to suckle the plum-colored head with relish now.

"Aaahhh," was the only response Justin could make as his hands twisted in Brian's soft hair, and he held on for dear life, feeling like he was going to explode from pleasure. "Brian..." his body arched off the bed in reaction, but he only succeeded slightly in moving as Brian pressed his hands down gently but firmly on his thighs, signaling for him to remain still and causing his breath to catch in his throat as his sped up his actions, using his tongue, lips, and light scrapings of his teeth to make him go insane. "Fuck..." he moaned, his heart racing. He felt like his skin was on fire as his eyes squeezed shut and he focused on the feel of Brian's lips and his large hands on his body. He had long ago given up on trying to figure out how Brian continued to play his body perfectly like a fine-turned machine; even now, even after all this time, he could never get enough of his touch, his smell, his murmurings to him as they made love.

He squirmed in delicious ecstasy, his head thrashing from side to side on the pillow, as Brian brought him time and time again to the brink of orgasm, only to slow his pace down just enough to allow him to regain his breath, and then start all over again. It was incredibly frustrating, but also extremely arousing. He didn't care if he sounded like he was whimpering as he begged, "Brian. God, let me come." He received a lifting of his lover's head, and his trademark smirk, before he resumed his actions. Finally, after a few minutes, he got his wish as Brian sped up the intensity on his cock and he exploded into his partner's mouth with a loud cry, lifting his upper body off the bed as Brian sucked him dry.

Slowly sliding back up Justin's quivering body as his partner tried to come down from the rapturous high he had just experienced, his own cock, hard as steel, brushed against Justin's belly as he came face to face with his lover. Brian stared into the flushed face of his soon-to-be husband, sweat glistening off his brow, and the feel of Justin's chest still heaving beneath him, and he savored the sight, feeling heady with power; power that only he had over this man. "Thought you could use a little pre-wedding present, Sunshine," he murmured deep in his throat, sensuously licking his lips to retrieve any remnants of come remaining from his lover's cock.

Justin's breath caught at the sound of Brian's voice and the look on his face, feeling his cock beginning to take interest _again_.

Brian smiled. "Just wait until our wedding night," he told him, his voice raw in anticipation. "I'm going to take you on a trip you won't forget...without going anywhere at all." The two of them had decided to postpone their honeymoon trip to Fiji until after their guests had left, both of them wanting to spend some time with Gus, particularly, before they departed, and due to both of them having crazy work schedules for the next several days.

Justin swallowed hard at the thought of their wedding night, wondering exactly what Brian meant, but knowing whatever it was, it would definitely live up to his lover's boast; of that he had no doubt. He smiled back at him. "I'll...I'll definitely be looking forward to it," he whispered, his voice raspy as he attempted to regain his breath. "How about a sneak preview?" he managed to ask with a smile, his hand snaking down to grip the base of Brian's cock possessively as he heard a low, guttural sound escape his lover's lips. "Brian...take me," he demanded urgently, his hand slowly gliding up and down the silky, hard shaft, feeling it throbbing under his touch. All concerns about the time they had left before the girls and Gus arrived, and the unexpected guest coming with them, flew out of his mind as he commanded him, "Take me _now_."

Brian's eyes darkened to an impossible shade of brown in reaction to the need in Justin's voice as he rose up onto his knees to reach for the lube and condoms lying on the nightstand, always at the ready. Preparing his lover with the lube, he poked a couple of fingers inside the hot channel, finding that spot that drove Justin wild and making him buck with pleasure, before he hurriedly slid a condom onto his cock and lined himself up with the inviting opening. His partner wrapped his feet around his slim waist to link his ankles behind him as they locked eyes on his other in silent communication - just before Brian pushed partly inside.

"Deeper," was the immediate, needy demand as Justin's blue eyes bore into his. "More," he urged him, his hands gripping Brian's arms so tightly his partner's skin turned white where Justin's fingers dug into his flesh.

Staring at his beautiful lover a few moments longer, Brian didn't need any further invitation than that before he pulled back ever so slightly - and then pushed all the way in, up to the hilt, skin to skin, body to body. As always whenever he was inside Justin, it felt incredible, overpowering, and unbelievably tight, like a glove custom-wrapped around him. He held his breath as he remained still for just the briefest of times, in awe of the sensations flowing through him, before Justin's quiet but firm invocation of "move, Brian," caused him to refocus his thoughts as he pushed out slightly, and then back in, beginning a smooth, thrusting motion as the two lovers rocked together in perfect synchrony.

"Oh, fuck," Justin moaned loudly as Brian sped up his endeavor, his own hips snapping almost violently now to meet Brian's thrusts as he picked up his tempo; it was like the wildest, the craziest of roller coaster rides without a safety harness, and he felt like he was almost drowning in pleasure as his fiancé slowly drove him to the brink of insanity.

Wanting desperately to climax once more, he snaked his hand in between their bodies toward his cock, only to have Brian shake his head in rebuttal. He whimpered in desperation before he felt Brian's warm hand grip his shaft and begin to stroke it in time with his thrusts. "Yes..." He hissed out in triumph as he felt a second orgasm about to erupt, his balls tightening against his body, which was now coiled tighter than a spring.

How he managed to endure a few seconds longer after Brian cried out loudly and achieved his own orgasm before he came a second time, he didn't know. But the sound of his lover's voice as he climaxed, and the feel of his seed spilling into the condom, was enough to make him, too, fall over the edge and drown in his own desire. Brian pumped into him a few more times before he fell onto Justin's smaller body, a boneless heap of sweat, heat, and delicious weight, their legs tangled together as Justin's body slumped on the bed, and he lay there, too weak to move. Not that he wanted to, anyway; the feeling of Brian enfolding him like a protective blanket was too good for words.

It would be a few minutes before Brian had the strength to roll off him onto his back, their hands instinctively reaching out to link fingers between them. Only the sound of their heavy breathing could be heard for a few moments longer before Brian whispered, "Fuck, that was hot."

Justin turned his head to peer over at him; he blinked in reaction to a trickle of sweat that dripped into his eyes, trying to find his voice to speak. "Yeah..." he whispered with a sleepy smile. Right then, all he wanted to do was lie there in their bed, forget everyone and everything else as they fucked their brains out the rest of the day. But he knew that wasn't possible. "Wow..."

Brian grinned at the praise. "I'm glad you approve, Sunshine. I wouldn't want my husbandly duties to be considered subpar."

Justin chuckled. "No danger there, _Mr. Kinney,"_ he reassured him hoarsely, still trying to regain his normal speaking voice. He sighed, their hands still gripping each other's. "But we're going to have to get out of this bed soon...if I'm able to walk now, that is."

Brian chuckled back at him. "Maybe a nice, hot shower will help ease your _stiffness_."

Justin groaned at the image of something in particular becoming stiff again as he tried feverishly to control his body's rebellion against common sense and plain, old time constraints. "Did you have to use that word?" he grumbled. Brian grinned as he pulled on his fiance's hand. "Come on," he urged him. "Now you'll have you take a shower with me to alleviate _MY_ suffering _."_ He scooted up in the bed, the two of them slowly rising from the mattress to stand.

"I think I'm willing to make that sacrifice," Justin decided solemnly. With a smile of his own, he eagerly pulled Brian toward the bathroom.

* * *

 _Fifteen Minutes Later..._

"But Brian, what did you expect me to do? This is Gus we're talking about!"

Brian stared over at him, still in disbelief. "You wait until I fucking come in the shower to tell me that woolly mammoth is coming here after all? Great timing there, Sunshine!"

Justin bit his lip apprehensively; well, it had seemed like a good idea at the time. _Damn Emmett and his ideas..._ "Well, what would YOU have done if your son had been talking to YOU, Brian? Your sobbing, hiccupping, distraught son, the one who kept saying without Tricky he wouldn't come to the wedding! The one who could barely talk due to how upset he was!"

"He would have had no choice, Justin! He's not the adult here! He would have been disappointed for a brief time, but then he would have gotten over it," he stated, although deep down he really didn't believe that. His son felt things deeply, and when he loved someone, he loved them with all his heart. _Like father, like son_...he couldn't help thinking. He shook his head. "How long?'

"Huh?"

"How long have you known?"

Justin paused, Brian's eyes boring into his. "A few days," he admitted finally.

"A few days!" Brian roared. "Justin, I thought we weren't going to keep any secrets from each other anymore! That always gets both of us in trouble. And now it's going to be a fucking disaster! I can't believe this..." he muttered, throwing the towel he had been using to dry his hair down onto the floor. His brows furrowed in frustration and discontent, he lifted his gaze to study his lover. _No fair, Sunshine_ , he thought, as he noticed his eyes glistening with regret, and the telltale thumbnail stuck between his teeth - the classic sign of worry for him. He never could stay angry with Justin...not really. He took a deep breath to try and control himself, knowing he was basically having a major queen out; even HE could see that.

"I know," Justin whispered in dismay. He knew Brian wouldn't be happy, but he didn't think he would get THIS worked up. He knew his fiancé was stressed out already between the wedding preparations and his thriving business at Kinnetik, not to mention the newest member of their household commanding a lot of his attention. Brian had been fairly accommodating so far about everything. So he supposed he had a right to be upset. "I should have told you the minute I gave him the okay to bring him."

Brian raked his hand through his wet hair. "Yes, you should have," he told Justin quietly. "It's been bad enough with a damn puppy in the house! And now we're going to have basically two of them. That damn dog never HAS grown up, and he's well past the puppy stage now...at least in dog years, anyway."

"I know, I know," Justin agreed, curling his fingers into fists at his side in anxiety. "But I never can so no to Gus, you know that. I love him, and I can't stand for him to be unhappy. We can find a way to control Tricky AND Xena," he promised him, a little bolstered by the fact that Brian seemed to be a little more relaxed now; at least the vein on the side of his neck wasn't pulsing anymore.

Brian sighed, his previous bluster all but gone. "I know you do," he assured him softly as he walked over toward the bed where Justin was standing, a pair of sweats riding low on his hips. He thought briefly of how young Justin looked in that familiar get-up as he placed his hands on Justin's face. "And I know how much he loves you, too. AND that fleabag of his." He shook his head again, this time resigned to his fate. "Justin, you realize we are going to have our fucking hands full with TWO of them...right?" He slid his hands down to rest on either side of Justin's neck.

Justin nodded. "I know it could be a problem. But, Brian, this is a big house, with a huge yard. Surely we can keep them under control long enough to get married!"

Brian didn't seem swayed by that statement as he looked back at him warily. "Maybe if we were talking about poodles," he told him. "Or _normal_ dogs. Dogs that didn't flunk out of obedience school, or dogs that seem to be growing a foot a day." He looked up at the ceiling for a few moments, seemingly trying to reconcile himself to what was to come or to seek guidance, before he affixed his stare back on his fiancé. "Maybe we could hire someone to dog sit them the day of our wedding. That way, they could still stay here, Gus would be happy, and we wouldn't have to worry about the reincarnation of the Titanic occurring." His fingers idly stroked the soft skin of Justin's neck. "And I guess if I were truthful with you AND myself...I wouldn't have been able to tell him no, either," he conceded, bestowing a half-smile on his fiancé. He groaned. "Why did Gus have to become attached to a miniature horse? A fish, a hamster, even a snake, I could have dealt with. But that dog...and now two of them." He closed his eyes for a couple of seconds before opening them back up to declare, "I must be out of my fucking mind."

Justin grasped Brian's hands around the wrists. "No, you're not," he assured him softly. "You're just an incredibly generous man who will do anything for the man and the son that he loves. Even if it comes close to killing him." He grinned then at Brian, who huffed in response at the mushy sentiment.

"Well, that may be," Brian admitted after a few seconds. "But that still doesn't mean I haven't lost my mind." He sighed heavily. "Tomorrow, I'm calling Doc Thompson to see if he can recommend a reliable dog sitter. And then I'm going to go around the entire house and hide or secure anything in sight that might be a potential breakage target for that dog's secret weapon."

"His secret weapon?"

"Yeah...his tail."

Justin chucked in understanding. "Good idea." He let out a deep breath of relief, feeling much better now that Brian knew about Tricky. He leaned up on his tiptoes to kiss Brian on the lips briefly before pulling back to stare into his eyes. "Thank you," he whispered.

Brian shook his head. "Lucky for you I love you so much," he murmured under his breath, thinking Justin couldn't have possibly heard him. But by the look on his fiance's face, it was obvious he had.

Justin beamed with pleasure. "And I love _you_...thiiiiiisssss much," he told him, holding his arms out wide at his side, just like Gus always does whenever he's saying the same thing.

Brian rolled his eyes, grabbing Justin' hands by the wrists and making his fiancé squeak in surprise as he pushed him down on the bed. He grinned. " _Show_ me."


	4. A Godzilla Hurricane Arrives

_Brian awaits the arrival of his son, Mel & Lindsay with anticipation. Gus's best buddy? Not so much. Will Tricky have mellowed since the last visit? _

_One Hour Later..._

"Okay...chocolate milk."

"Check."

"Juice packs."

"Got it."

"Grapes."

"Enough to start a vineyard."

"Studded dog collar."

Brian unsuccessfully tried to ignore the sharp, puppy yip that responded to his use of the word 'dog.' He peered down at their latest member of the household, who was currently staring up at him through dark, luminous eyes, some type of odd, green, bumpy stick held between her large paws that Justin had said was good for her teeth and her breath, which, with all the puppy chow she had been consuming lately, was in dire need of some doggie Scope. The latest addition to her ever-growing supply of dog toys and accessories - an obscenely large, round dog bed with the initials _XTK_ inscribed on the front (which, to Brian, was not only ridiculous, but also sounded suspiciously like a model of Jaguar) - was currently being utilized by the beast as both a cushion to recline on, and - more to Brian's thinking - a satellite location from which to spy on him and his fiancé. He shook his head in slight irritation before Justin's next comment made him refocus on his human company.

"Huh? Xena and Tricky already _have_ collars."

Brian smirked. "I meant for Mel."

"Brian! You promised!"

"Okay, okay," Brian grumbled, as he made a symbolic zipping motion across his lips while he stood in the kitchen, coffee mug in hand. He took a quick sip before explaining, "You know what they say about bad habits dying hard. She's just too easy a target." Truthfully, he and Mel had slowly developed a more stable relationship; he wasn't quite sure he would call it cordial, but at least they could be civil with each other now, especially in light of how often Gus was in their presence.

Justin rolled his eyes as he shut the refrigerator door. "Brian, I don't need any more stress right now," he told his fiancé as he turned to face him.

Brian had to laugh at that comment. "Really? If you hadn't wanted to be stressed out, Sunshine, you should have rethought your idea of bringing _that_ into our house." He peered down at Xena, whose ears perked up as if she knew he was talking about her. He scowled. "At least Cujo never ate one of my Armani shoes. She could have at least chewed up one of your sneakers instead. But no, she has to have good taste."

"Brian, I told you, she..."

"Yeah, yeah," he interrupted him with a shake of his head. "She ran into the house when you opened the door...and bolted straight toward our walk-in closet like my shoe was a homing beacon. How quaint. At least she chose one of my shoes from last year, instead of one from the new spring collection."

"Well, that's not exactly how it happened," Justin recalled with an amused smile. "But I did think she was still out back inside the fence." Justin rolled his lips under as he added, "Besides, if anyone should understand what it's like to have a leather fetish, it should be _you_."

Brian scoffed. "It's not just leather, Sunshine. Toilet paper, our bathroom towels...this morning, I found the rubber bathtub mat chewed up in Gus's bathroom!" He sighed wearily.

"What? You mean the one with Spiderman on it?"

Brian nodded.

Justin's mouth fell open in confusion. "How did she get a hold of _that_? It was inside the bathtub."

"How do _I_ know? But look at her," he urged his partner, as he stared down at the puppy, who was currently oblivious to their conversation taking place about her as she returned to her chewing toy. "All I know is that Spidey is missing an arm now." He shuddered. _Poor superhero_. _Poor HIM for falling love with such a tenderhearted man in the first place._ "Justin, I know I relented in allowing Cujo, Jr. here more access to the house...but you have got to try and keep a better eye on her... _and_ my wardrobe. All I had requested was that you keep our bedroom door closed when she's on the prowl...I don't think that's too much to ask."

"I'm sorry, Brian." Justin nervously threaded his fingers through his hair, glancing down at the newest member of their family. He knew the timing had been bad in light of their upcoming wedding, but he just couldn't bear having one of Cujo's puppies winding up at the local high-kill animal shelter. If Gus had ever gotten wind of that, he couldn't have lived with himself. The little boy would have been absolutely crushed. "I'll try to keep better control over her," he softly promised.

Seeing the look of anxiety on Justin's face, Brian sighed as he placed his coffee mug down on the counter and walked over to his partner, placing his hands on either side of his neck. He lazily rubbed the soft skin there as he scolded him. "You worry too much. We've waited _this_ long, Justin. Everything will turn out okay. Even if we DO have a mini-version of a trash compactor living with us now."

Justin laughed softly then. "Oh, my God. You're being the _optimist_ here? With Tricky AND Xena about to be in the same house?" He made a show of looking behind Brian's back as if he had lost something. "Oh, I _get_ it! Some alien kidnapped the real you, and you're just a clone. Somewhere on the planet Doofus, the real Brian is fucking everything that walks on two legs - or maybe even four for all WE know. And fur. Lots and lots of fur. But don't worry about the REAL Brian; they might just have two cocks, too."

"Very funny," Brian commented dryly. "Made you forget your stress, though, didn't it?" He pointed out.

Justin nodded with a half-smile of concession, sliding his hands up Brian's chest to link them behind his neck. "Yes, you did. But I just don't want anything to go wrong," he explained softly. "I...We've waited so long, and it's not like you can repeat it if something goes wrong. You only get one shot at the wedding ceremony."

"We'll only _need_ one time," Brian reassured him. Justin nodded, still not totally convinced, as he raised himself up on his tiptoes and pulled his fiance's head down for a kiss. It was quickly interrupted, however, by the ringing of the doorbell, and Xena barking excitedly in response...their very own version of a miniature alarm system to supplant the one they already had.

"Showtime," Justin murmured, pecking Brian once more on the lips as they separated.

Brian nodded, at once both dreading part of what was coming and also looking forward to it. "Batten down the hatches, Sunshine. A Godzilla El Nino is about to blow in." Reaching for Justin's hand to give it a brief squeeze, the two - along with a small, furry bundle scampering along behind them - headed toward the front door. He paused for a moment after a few steps.

"What?" Justin asked a little worriedly.

"Promise me you won't bring out the family photos."

"I don't have any family photos of you with me, unless you mean the ones with Gus." Sentimentalist that he was, he always carried a few snapshots of them in his wallet wherever they went.

"You know what I'm talking about. I mean...I can't even believe it I'm saying this, even now...the ones you have of you and Xena, the wonder dog. I saw them the other day when you pulled them out to show Em at the diner, remember?"

Justin opened his mouth, but then closed it. What could he say? He couldn't lie that they existed; he had made the mistake of whipping them out right in front of Brian to show Emmett the other day at the diner, just like a proud father. Could he help it if Xena was so photogenic?

He rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay," he grumbled. "Sheesh, you take the fun out of everything."

Brian couldn't help pressing his lips tightly together to keep from smiling. "I'll try to keep the fun in our fucking at least," he promised. "Who knows? I might even let you be the 'engineer' tonight - if you're lucky."

"Gee, thanks. Ever the altruist."

Brian grinned as they headed down the hallway, pausing as they neared the door. "Here we go." Shaking his head slightly in disbelief that he had agreed once more to turning his house upside down, he took a deep breath, preparing himself (as least as well as he could) for the return of Cujo and company.

* * *

 _Several seconds later..._

"Brian, would you get your ass over here, and stop hiding behind Sir Lancelot?" Justin turned to stare over at his partner in exasperation as Brian stood to the side of their metal replica of a knight in full armor, complete with chainmail, sword, and shield. "He's not _that_ big, and they promised to have him on a leash, anyway."

"Unless it's a towing chain, it won't hold him."

Justin laughed. "Come on, he's gotten better. He's not THAT bad!"

"Right...that's what the passengers said on the Titanic about their captain - just before the iceberg hit." The closer they had gotten to the door, the more Brian had become convinced that he should not be quite so foolish as to think Tricky would be well-behaved. He somehow knew better than that. He might appear 'normal' to most people, but for some reason whenever that mutt saw _him_ , his split personality emerged.

His fiancé rolled his eyes as he walked up to the door and grasped the brass handle, struggling to hold a squirming Xena against his body. Silently he had to admit _one_ thing - Xena WAS getting heavy from all her dog chow; soon he wouldn't be able to hold her with one - or BOTH hands, he conjectured. "Be brave, Brian," he replied with a smirk as Brian huffed in indignation from behind his place near the steps.

"This had nothing to do with bravery," Brian told him. "It's the survival of the fittest...and I'm afraid I'm going to come out on the bottom of the food chain. Just remember to put something meaningful on my headstone, like ' _he went out in style.'_ Promise me," he commanded sternly.

Justin giggled. "I promise. Now get over here, and say hello to your son." After a brief hesitation, Brian reluctantly joined his partner, closing his eyes as if in prayer to steel himself before nodding. It wasn't that he wasn't looking forward to seeing his son and Lindsay - and even Mel; well, maybe that was going a bit too far. But Gus's favorite buddy and life-long pal? Not so much. "Okay, I'm ready...I think."

Justin nodded. "It'll be fine; you'll see," he told Brian as he turned the handle and swung the door open slightly, smiling radiantly at Gus, who was standing next to Tricky; the two mothers directly behind them.

* * *

The door had barely swung open, however, when a hulk of light blond fur came rushing inside with Mel desperately attempting to hold onto his leash. "Tricky, stop!" she shouted in alarm. But it didn't take long for a euphoric Tricky to break free from her hold - and to barrel straight toward Brian, who threw caution to the wind, dashed over to the steps, and grabbed the shield that normally was held by the knight. He held it in front of him defensively as Tricky tried frantically to reach Brian, jumping up on his hind legs and barking joyously before he promptly pushed both man and armor down onto the steps. The metal shield clattered down onto the floor as Tricky pinned Brian against the staircase, his tail wagging furiously as he gifted Brian with wet swipes of his tongue to his face.

Lindsay winced at the cymbal-like sound of the shield falling to the floor, peering over in horror as Tricky continued her idol worship of Brian; Mel tried to pull the dog away from him, but she was simply no match for his bulky weight. Lindsay had sworn to Brian that she and Mel would keep a close eye on him, and that promise had quickly been shot to hell. "Tricky!" she exclaimed as she hurried to Brian's side and tugged on his collar. "Come here, boy! Brian, are you all right?"

"Am I all right?" Brian huffed out breathlessly, feeling like a two-ton anvil was on his chest. "Off! Pull him off me! I'm going to die of asphyxiation!"

"Hold on, Brian!" Lindsay called out to him as he twisted his head from side to side in an attempt to evade the dog's saliva-coated tongue. "Tricky!" she admonished the dog, who proceeded to totally ignore her; he was much too excited over seeing Brian again after being separated from him for several months to pay her any mind. Sighing in exasperation, she called over to their son as a last resort, "Gus, try to help get Tricky off your father, okay?"

Gus rushed over to his father to peer down at him and his dog as Brian continued to flail about on the steps. He temporarily forgot what he was supposed to do as soon as he took a look at his father's flushed face. "Daddy! Are you sick?" He scrunched up his face worriedly, totally ignoring the fact that Tricky was continuing his onslaught of affection. Gus stooped down and placed his hand on his father's forehead. "You don't feel hot, Daddy," he decided with relief. He rose to place his hands on his hips as he studied his father, noting that he _did_ appear a little red in the face, though. "You're not going to die!" He scolded him with a giggle. "Daddy, Tricky is SO glad to see you! Me, too!"

"Arrgh!" Brian grunted out incoherently. "Justin! Leash! Bulldozer! _Anything_!" he growled as his partner rushed over to try and help extricate him. His concern focused on his fiancé, Justin made the mistake of placing an excitable Xena down onto the floor as he tried to assist him, which only resulted in two dogs ganging up on his partner. "Shit! Xena! Come here!" He scooped her up into his arms as Lindsay and Mel finally succeeded in pulling Tricky away from Brian, who sputtered and gasped for air as he slowly rose to his feet, holding onto the stair's bannister for support until he could catch his breath again as he kept a wary eye on his adversary. What in the hell had possessed him to agree to have Tricky here at Britin in the first place? And especially just before he and Justin were about to be married, and hold a wedding out back? Had he finally gone crazy? He sighed as he peered over at his partner, realizing the truth. Yeah, he _was_ crazy...crazy in love. That had to be the only explanation.

From nearby, Gus's eyes grew large as he realized who Justin was talking to. He had heard about the latest addition to the Taylor-Kinney family, but he hadn't had a chance to meet her in person yet. "Papa!"

Justin's heart skipped a beat, just like it always did whenever Gus called him that. "Yeah, Buddy?" he replied with a smile.

"That's Tricky's baby?" he asked excitedly as he rushed over to better inspect the puppy. Tricky - fearing his master might be planning on leaving and noticing the wriggling, furry bundle being held in Justin's arms - temporarily forgot Brian and trotted along behind Gus to see what all the fuss was about, finally giving his father a chance to gulp in some much-needed air.

"She sure is," Justin told him with a smile.

Gus eyed her in fascination as he walked over to get a closer look, reaching out to stroke the soft, medium-brown fur on top of her head. Xena squirmed in Justin's grasp, trying furiously to break free, but Justin fortunately had better luck with restraining her than Mel had had with Tricky. The little boy frowned. "She doesn't look like him," he astutely pointed out. He giggled as the young dog reached out and licked him on the arm, the only part of Gus she could reach at the moment.

Justin grinned. Gus always had been a very smart boy. "No, she takes after her mother. She's a chocolate lab." Except for a small tuft of white fur on her chest, Xena was pure Sadie...with Tricky's rambunctiousness mixed in. That could be a deadly combination - or at the very least a challenging one.

Gus laughed. "You're silly, Papa! She's not made out of chocolate!" Deciding that maybe she was called that because she _smelled_ like chocolate, he leaned in to give the puppy a sniff, giggling again and pulling back as Xena promptly licked him in the face. "She just smells like a puppy to me," he decided in confusion, wiping his face as Xena wagged her tail at him.

All the adults laughed. "No, that's what they call a Labrador that's the _color_ of chocolate," he told him. He grinned at the almost disappointed look on Gus's face.

Gus nodded as he turned around. "Look, Boy! This is your kid!" Gus informed Tricky, whose ears perked up in interest. Tricky lifted his head to give Xena a sniff, his tail wagging furiously behind him now that he had found someone of his own 'kind.' This was quite an exciting development to him, which - fortunately for Brian - gave him a brief but welcome respite.

That is, until Gus turned to his father to ask, "Daddy, how did the puppy get here?"

"It wasn't _my_ idea, trust me," he told his son as he peered over pointedly at his fiancé. "Ask your papa over there. It was _his_ idea to make that...shredding machine a member of the household."

Justin explained, "Our next door neighbor asked if we wanted one of Tricky's puppies...and I said yes." He looked over at Brian before adding, "Your Daddy needed a little more time to be convinced, though."

"I can imagine how you had to 'convince' him, too," Mel spoke up then, snickering as Justin blushed. She was enjoying this little encounter. Like everyone else, though, she wasn't really surprised that Justin had been able to persuade Brian to do something he would have rather not done. "Is...what's her name again?"

"Xena," Justin told her as Mel chuckled at the odd choice.

"You'd better not believe in a self-fulfilling prophecy with THAT choice of name," she commented. She turned to Brian then to ask, "Is Xena going to be your flower girl, Brian?"

Brian snorted. "Hardly," he told her with a scowl. "Neither one of those mutts is getting anywhere _near_ our wedding," he avowed. "Anyway, Sonny Boy, that's how she wound up here."

But Gus shook his head. "No, Daddy. I want to know how she got _born_."

"Yes, Brian. We would all like to know that," Mel piped up with a smile. "How was she born?" She and Lindsay had been spared 'that talk' when JR had been born by merely telling Gus that she had been born from 'love.' He had seemed satisfied at the time with that explanation, fortunately enough, but apparently Gus's curiosity was not going to be assuaged quite so easily this time.

His breath regained now, Brian took a moment to straighten out his rumpled shirttails, while using it to also buy him some time, as he slowly ambled over to the others, grateful that Lindsay now had a strong grasp on Tricky's leash. He figured he was safe - for now. At last safe from _physical_ harm; now he had another challenge to face as his son peered over at him expectantly.

"Well, Daddy?" Mel prodded him. "Gus wants to know." She grinned sweetly at him as Brian glared over at her. "We're all waiting for your explanation." Everyone peered over at him - human and canine - as he rolled his eyes in disgust, feeling like the perpetual deer in the headlights.

"Uh...Well, Sonny Boy...it's like this," he began, faltering. Gus stared into his face with rapt attention. "When you have a boy dog and a girl dog...and they really, really like each other..."

"Does it have to be a boy and a girl, Daddy? I bet if YOU were a dog, you would want another boy dog."

Justin giggled in amusement as Brian bestowed him with a death glare; he would expect it from Mel, but his partner was enjoying his discomfiture way too much. Justin grinned over at his partner, his one free hand lightly resting on Gus's shoulder. "Go ahead... _Daddy_ ," he urged him, his smile broadening in reaction to the look on his fiance's face. Lindsay chuckled then, making Brian pull on his collar, suddenly feeling warm. He cleared his throat.

"Well, you're right, Gus," he told his son after a few moments, deciding to ignore his partner, at least as much as he could, along with the two women. "I would definitely prefer another boy dog if _I_ were a dog. And no matter what type of dog I was, I would definitely be an _alpha_ dog." His eyes bored into Justin's as he explained, "That means that I would be the TOP dog."

A harrumph of indignation erupted from Justin as he continued, "Well...when the boy and girl...meet...it's like this..." He hesitated, feeling everyone's eyes boring into him, even two pairs of canine ones. He took a deep breath and let it out, feeling decidedly out of his element. "I'll tell you what. Why don't we talk about this later, Sonny Boy?" he suggested, promptly wimping out. "Justin made some chocolate chip cookies earlier today, your favorite, just for your visit."

Just as he hoped, Gus jumped up and down, causing Tricky to bark, even though he had no idea what was so exciting! "Yay! Chocolate milk, too, Papa?"

Justin couldn't help smiling as he nodded. "You bet." They're in the cookie jar." That was all it took for Gus to totally forget his previous conversation as he turned and ran down the hallway to make a beeline toward the kitchen. Lindsay gave up trying to hold onto Tricky as the dog pulled on his leash in an attempt to follow his master; she knew he would not sit still while he was gone. Letting go of the leash, she called after him, "Gus! Let Tricky out back!"

"Okay, Mommy," he replied after several seconds, his voice muffled no doubt by a huge bite of cookie now. "I'm going out, too!"

"All right...but stay away from all the wedding decorations - and the pool! I'll be right out!" Peering over at the two men helplessly, she told them, "I'd better go keep an eye on him; he finds that pool way too attractive. Mel and I will get our luggage out of the car later."

Justin shook his head. "Don't worry about it," he told her. "Brian will be glad to bring your luggage upstairs. Won't you, Brian?" he grinned at his fiancé as the other man narrowed his eyes at him. "I kind of have my hands full," he explained as he pulled Xena closer to his body. He shrugged. "Sorry." He smiled sweetly at his partner, not sorry at all, actually. "I'll stay right here," he told him helpfully. "You go right ahead."

Brian gave him a death glare as he walked by him, slightly limping from his previous encounter over by the steps. "You'll pay for this later, Dog Whisperer," he muttered under his breath in his partner's ear, making Justin shiver in anticipation. He didn't see it as a threat at all; he could vividly recall some of his previous 'punishments.'

"I'll be looking forward to it," was the saucy reply as he grinned.

Brian smirked as he peered over at their guests, his hand on the doorknob. "No problem. But I'll need someone brawny to help me. Mel?"

Mel rolled her eyes, not surprised at all by the comment. "Nice to know some things haven't changed," she muttered. But nevertheless, she followed Brian out the door to go retrieve their luggage, which was substantial, despite not having all the members of their family with them. JR would be following later with Michael, Ben, and crew, having been dropped off at their house on the way out to Britin. The next couple of days would be very hectic and busy, filled with family and friends. But for now, it would give them a chance to catch up on their lives before the main event took place.

"I see you're still your same, old charming self, Brian," Mel remarked as she raised the back of the SUV's trunk and grabbed one of the lighter bags.

Brian chuckled. "Well, you know how delighted I am to always see _you_ , Mel," he replied with a grin, forcing Mel to respond in kind. It was the game they played; they both acted like they detested each other. But in reality, in a lot of ways they were too much alike to really feel that way. But nevertheless, it was still fun to play the role. "Here, let me get that," Brian offered as he reached for the largest and heaviest of the suitcases. "I wouldn't want you to hurt your delicate back." He laughed as Mel snorted back at him in indignation; if it was one thing she disliked, it was being made to feel inferior as a woman, and Brian knew just how to push all her buttons.

"Oh, you're so manly, Kinney, helping out little ole me," she quipped in a Southern accent as they walked back side by side to the front door. "You can cut the bullshit." He grinned back at her as she peered over at him, her previous banter pushed aside. She smiled. "I can't believe you're really doing it."

"I've been doing it for years, Mel. Have your forgotten?"

She smirked. "Not that," she told him. "You know what I mean. Actually getting married." She said the last word as if it were a disease to Brian; something detestable and unpleasant. Truthfully, she knew by now how much Brian deeply loved his partner. Justin had accomplished something she never thought she would ever see; he had found Brian's heart, and had captured it firmly, so firmly that he had made the ultimate commitment to the man. But the degree to which Brian had fallen in love still surprised her.

He shrugged as if it were no big deal, even though they both knew otherwise. "If it makes him happy..."

"Shit," Mel responded sharply, not buying it for one minute. "That old story again? You never do anything you don't want to do, Brian. You're not doing it for him; at least not _only_ for him."

Brian was silent for several seconds as he opened the door and they reentered the house. Locking eyes immediately on his partner, he considered that as Justin smiled back at him, and he felt his heart contract. _How did he do that with a mere smile?_ he wondered. But as he smiled back at him in return - and thought about what he had agreed to do over the years, and how his life had changed - he found that he couldn't disagree with her assessment. "No," he responded truthfully as he looked over at her. "No, I guess I'm not," he admitted softly as she nodded in satisfaction.

"Brian, up to playing barbeque chef this afternoon?" Justin called over to him. "I bought some T-bones, and hot dogs for your little eating machine at the grocery the other day."

"I thought you would have preferred the steaks, Sunshine," Brian responded with a grin, as he hefted the suitcase a little higher to balance it.

Justin rolled his eyes. "You know who I mean, you asshole. Take the suitcase upstairs, and I'll fire up the grill. Go."

"Bossy," was the remark as Justin grinned. "Yes, Sir." He saluted his partner, as he and Mel ascended the steps, heading toward one of the guest bedrooms.

"Come on, Xena," Justin addressed the soft bundle in his arms, wondering how long he would be able to carry her. He surmised it wouldn't be long at all, especially if she took after her father. "Time for you and your daddy to get better acquainted." He smiled as the puppy cocked her head, her ears raised as she listened to Justin's soothing voice. "You little flirt," he softly accused, laughing as she unexpectedly licked him on the face before he had a chance to avert it. "Like I said...flirt," he told her with a smile. Setting her down onto the floor, she followed him down the hallway toward the kitchen located at the back of the house. A few moments later, Justin had slid one of the back doors open, and watched as the puppy, Tricky, and Gus joyously began to get to know each other better. He knew it would be mayhem for much of the time that Tricky and Gus were here. But he wouldn't have it any other way, he decided, as he walked over to join Lindsay at one of the patio tables.


	5. Calm Before the Storm

_The household enjoys a little tranquility before the ceremony. But does it signify only a temporary peace?_

Gus's shrieks of delight reverberated throughout the backyard as he attempted to evade the two dogs following along behind him; he tumbled onto the grass - causing the adults to catch their breath and gasp - until they heard him giggling as both dogs tackled him to the ground and began to shower him with licks. "Get off me! Get off me!" Gus shouted, using the same words his father had previously employed as he continued to giggle. It was obvious he was in no pain, but instead was having the time of his life.

Thankfully, only the wedding tent and chairs had been erected so far for the ceremony, so there was little chance that a rambunctious little boy or two equally rambunctious companions could do much damage...yet.

Brian watched carefully as his son rose to his feet and threw a stick out into the far end of the yard, laughing as both dogs took off at top speed toward it; arriving at the same time, they held onto the stick by each end at the same time in a canine version of tug-of-war, although as the smaller of the two, Xena was having a hard time keeping a grasp on her end. Sure enough, Tricky soon wrangled the stick away from his offspring and took off at a brisk trot, parading the stick around proudly as Xena tried to steal it back from him to no avail. Their antics were proving to be great entertainment for Gus, making Brian smile despite his concerns.

"Well, the two dogs seem to be getting along well," Lindsay observed with amusement as she took a drink of her iced tea. "And Gus looks like he's in heaven right now with two dogs to play with." She shook her head as she peered over at Brian and Justin. "You realize he's going to want to take both of them back home with him now, don't you?"

"Oh, feel free," Brian deadpanned with a wave of his hand, grinning in reaction to Justin's look of dismay. He rolled his eyes. 'Don't worry, Sunshine. I won't let them take away your widdle buddy." He grimaced. "I only wish she would STAY little...but I know better. Her feet are the size of dinner plates already."

Justin's mouth hung open as Emmett sniggered from his place beside him; so much for Brian being uninformed. "You know about that?" he asked, surprised.

"Are you kidding? It doesn't take a genius - even though I am one," he added as Mel rolled her eyes in response, "...to figure out that any animal with paws THAT size is bound to eventually catch up to them. Which means that your little bundle of furry joy is apt to turn into a mountainous mutt before too long. Sorry, Sunshine, but your art studio may very well wind up being listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest dog house on record."

"Over my dead body," Justin informed him, his voice so adamant and his face so etched with consternation that it made Brian laugh. The others grinned as they listened to their bantering, all of them knowing Brian would never get rid of their newest addition, not as long as Justin had his heart set on keeping her.

Emmett listened silently to the exchange, a little envious of how much Brian loved his friend that he was willing to do something he definitely did not want to do. He could only hope that one day he, too, would find the same sort of love that the two of them shared. At least for now he could do his part to ensure that their wedding day went smoothly. He cleared his throat as everyone turned their eyes toward him. "I just wanted to remind you," he told the two grooms, "...that I'll be here tomorrow afternoon to start getting everything ready for the ceremony. The florists and party planner will be coming, too, to start setting up the flowers and lighting, along with the DJ." He smiled broadly at Justin and gave him a wink; he was listening attentively to every detail as everyone realized the time was drawing nearer and nearer now.

"You're just going to love it, Baby!" he told him reassuringly. "I've even got a few surprises you don't know about!" he added mysteriously. "You're going to be the envy of every gay groom in a two-state area!"

Justin nodded back at him nervously; he was getting more and more excited - as well as just a little anxious - the closer they got to the actual wedding day. "I'm sure it'll be great, Em," he agreed. "Is there anything I can do?"

Em shook his head. "Not a thing! This is my present to _you_ , remember?" He peered over at Brian before adding almost an afterthought, "Oh, yeah. Him, too." He smirked as Brian scowled back at him.

"Gee, thanks; I'm touched," Brian offered as the others tried to keep a smile off their faces. They all knew he meant that more sincerely than he was letting on, but for his sake they pretended otherwise. Brian had offered to pay for Em's catering services - he and Justin were paying for every other household expense (his stubborn, proud fiancé wouldn't agree to do it any other way but 50/50), but Em wouldn't hear of it, appearing insulted that he would even suggest it. He had to secretly admit that he _was_ touched by Emmett's gift.

Emmett cleared his throat, downing the last of his bottle of beer before he stood up. "Speaking of which, I'd best be heading back into town before my helpers burn down my kitchen!" In a stage whisper, he confided, "If I leave them alone, they normally wind up eating up my profits...literally! I think they do it to avoid going to the grocery. Ta ta! See you tomorrow!" And with that, like a flash he turned and was back inside the house before they could so much as wish him goodbye.

"I'm warning you, Justin," he reminded him, "if he so much as introduces even a pale shade of pink, purple, or lime green into the color scheme..." He stopped as Justin reached over to squeeze his hand, realizing he was on the verge of a minor queen-out. He inhaled a deep breath between his lips to calm himself before letting it back out with a small nod. The arrival of his biggest fan had definitely managed to ramp up his anxiety level.

"Relax, _Mr. Kinney-Taylor_ ," his partner told him with a smile. Brian opened his mouth - prepared to utter a 'wait a minute' to the unexpected hyphenated name - but then thought better of it, thinking that was something they were going to discuss privately later this evening - choosing, then, to remain silent for the time being. "Everything will be fine. I remember someone telling me that, too," he reminded him.

"Yeah...just hunky-dory," Brian replied with a sigh. When did everything change from a rather small, intimate gathering of their closest friends and family, to more of a spectacle? Truthfully, despite all the preparations occurring, it still was going to be rather small compared to most weddings - the tent that was erected was only meant to hold approximately 25 guests, in addition to a small area for the actual ceremony, and the reception would be held under there as well once the chairs were removed for a small, portable, wooden dance floor - but all this decision-making and the unexpected variables being thrown into the wedding were starting to make him squirm just a bit. As he peered into his partner's blue eyes, however - the ones that at once could arouse him in a heartbeat, but also calm him like they were doing now - he decided that he could withstand this temporary intrusion into their customary lives. If only Xena was going to be temporary, too. But as he continued to stare into the eyes of the man he couldn't imagine ever living without, he decided that he could also deal with that particular challenge as well.

Nodding back at Justin in silent acknowledgment, he returned the squeeze before standing up. "Looks like the grill's ready," he told them in explanation. He peered out at his son, who was now throwing a couple of nylon Frisbees in succession for each dog to run after and catch, although for whatever reason each dog decided that the other's Frisbee was the better one. Shaking his head in amusement, he called out to his son, "Hot dogs will be ready in a few minutes, Sonny Boy! You'll have to go wash up soon, and leave the dogs out there while we eat, okay?"

"Okay, Daddy!" Gus responded, clapping in delight as he threw one of the Frisbees, and Tricky jumped into the air to deftly catch it in his mouth. "Good boy!" he told him. "Look, Daddy! I taught him another trick! Isn't he wonderful?"

Brian counted to ten; well, at least to five before he nodded. "Yeah, Gus. He's right up there with Houdini." He smiled at his son's look of confusion; despite how intelligent he was, it always amused him whenever he could befuddle him, and he knew what was coming next. Gus was in the 'why is' stage; whether he ever left it remained to be seen, since he seemed to not only be a very intelligent little boy, but also inordinately curious as well. "Justin, explain to him what a Houdini is while I get the meat ready," he asked his partner, as Gus threw the Frisbees one more time for the dogs before latching the fenced-in gate closed and rushing up to the table containing his moms and Papa.

Sure enough, the first words out of his mouth was a request for an explanation, making Brian chuckle as he placed a couple of the steaks onto the gas grill with a large, metal spatula. He listened as Justin explained, and then smiled, his back to them, as Gus requested a couple of large bowls and two paper plates, telling his moms and his Papa that the dogs needed to eat and drink something, too, or they would feel left out. A few minutes later, with Justin's help, the two dogs - who had been standing somewhat morosely by the back gate after Gus had left them alone like a couple of convicts behind the fence - were happily gulping down copious amounts of water out of two, large, mixing bowls before lying down next to each other to begin feasting on their dog treats under the shade of a large oak tree.

Sitting next to Justin several minutes later after bringing the cooked hot dogs and steaks over to an adjoining table, Brian sat back with his cold bottle of beer and his meal to reflect upon just how happy and - yes, contented - he felt right then, despite the rather unexpected and chaotic-producing canines currently residing with him. As he gazed at his son presently being held securely in Justin's lap as he munched on his hot dog in one hand and a French fry in the other, he decided that he might be able to get through the next couple of days after all. He caught Justin's eyes on him, then, realizing he had been caught gazing at him, and felt his heart flutter at the loving smile he received, unable to prevent a mirror smile of his own. _Yes, life was pretty damn good_ , he decided.

* * *

 _Later that Evening...Brian and Justin's master bedroom_

"I can't believe the things you talk me into," Brian commented as he lay on his back in post-coital bliss, feeling drowsy and sated after a rather extended fuck fest with his fiancé, who was currently curled up beside him in one of his typical, _I-want-to-cuddle but I dare not call it that_ positions, his head resting against Brian's shoulder as he lay on his side facing him, one arm flung around Brian's waist and their legs entwined. Both of them were sticky and sweaty, but neither one wanted to move just yet; or rather, had the strength to move after the strenuous activity they had just shared. Neither was certainly complaining, however.

"You mean fucking me into the mattress?" Justin replied with a smile against Brian's chest, his warm breath tickling his partner's skin as he spoke. "I think you just did it so I wouldn't be able to walk down the aisle, but you forget; that's day after tomorrow, so I'll have time to recover."

Brian snickered as he lifted his head to peer down at the blond mop of hair. "That's what YOU think; you think I'm going to skip another go-round tomorrow? Hardly. I'll have another chance to incapacitate you then, so don't be claiming victory just yet. I still have a chance to get out of it."

Justin smiled, unafraid of Brian making good on his threat, but deciding he would play along anyway. "Well...that assumes I'll allow you to have sex with me the night before our wedding. Haven't you heard that's bad luck?"

"I beg your pardon? Where did you hear _that_ , Sunshine? That might work for some hetero, blushing bride, but you are well past the virgin state now, so I don't think that applies to YOU."

Justin chuckled as he raised his head to meet the sparkling hazel eyes of amusement, noticing Brian's lips curled under. "I guess you have me there," he told him with a smile. "But you'll have to catch me first."

Brian laughed as he leaned down to peck his lips, whispering against his mouth as he pulled back slightly, "I don't think that will be a problem...but it'll be a fucking turn on watching that ass trying to get away from me."

Justin grinned. "Well, to save my reputation, I'll try to act like I'm putting up a fight anyway," he told him. "But what was that about talking you into something?" he asked.

"I'm talking about breaking one of our rules regarding the Warrior Princess."

Justin nodded. "Ahhh...you mean the _Xena always sleeps in her own bedroom_ rule _."_ Brian lifted an eyebrow to confirm it as Justin explained, "Well, I couldn't very well let Tricky sleep with Gus, and not Xena. Gus wouldn't have liked it; surely you realize that. He's having too much fun with both of them in his bed."

Brian sighed. "Yeah," he agreed as his fingers slowly caressed Justin's shoulder. "But it's setting a dangerous precedent, Sunshine. One that I did NOT want to make. You know what they say...how will they live on the farm - or in this case, doghouse - once they..."

Justin smiled. "...see Paree," he finished as Brian nodded. "Yeah, yeah, I know," he admitted. "It could make it harder for her to agree to staying by herself at night. But it's not like she'll be sleeping on some burlap sack."

Brian snorted at the understatement. "No, that won't be an issue. The only thing she's missing right now is a memory foam topper, and a feather pillow." He shook his head in disbelief as he watched Justin place his thumbnail between his teeth and gnaw on it; he knew precisely what they meant. "Tell me you didn't."

Justin shrugged as he informed him sheepishly, "It came with the bed." Before his fiancé could respond further, he quickly continued, "But Brian, this is Gus we're talking about! Could you really say no to him? You can't deny that you spoil him from time to time yourself."

Justin dared Brian to deny it with a flash of his blue eyes, but, of course, he couldn't. "Touché," he conceded as Justin smiled back at him triumphantly. "But as soon as Gus and the Munchers leave, that mutt is going back to the Taj Mahal, got it?"

Justin grinned. "Got it," he replied solemnly, crossing his bare chest symbolically with his left hand. He let out a deep breath he had been holding, relieved that Brian had acquiesced. "Now that we have THAT settled, can we move onto some other matter?"

Brian leered at him as he arched one eyebrow in interest. "You had something in particular in mind? I thought even at _your_ tender age, you might want to rest up a bit. That was fairly...strenuous...even for us."

Justin smacked him lightly across the chest, tweaking one nipple as Brian grunted in reaction.

"Hey!" he protested. But it wasn't exactly an unpleasant sensation, he decided, as he captured Justin's right hand in his to keep it from doing anymore 'roaming.' He frowned as he glanced down at their clasped hands. "Justin, where is your wedding ring? Tell me you didn't lose it." He was surprised by how much that idea disturbed him; all along, he had been kidding himself that the ring didn't matter, or even the marriage, although he had no real objection to it. He had always thought they were mere rites of passage, something to be expected when any couple (and yes, he knew by now that they were a couple, not two men who merely fucked) fell in love and wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. He could take it or leave it. Or so he thought. At that moment, it astounded him at how much the idea that Justin could have lost his much-treasured ring bothered him; perhaps more than it did Justin himself.

He was vastly relieved, therefore, when Justin informed him, "Don't worry; it's fine. I put it over there." He nodded toward the night table next to their bed, and Brian noticed for the first time the gleaming band lying in front of the alarm clock/radio, reflecting off the soft glow of the recessed lighting behind their bed.

Brian's brow furrowed deeper as he asked, "Why would you take it off? I thought you liked it."

"I do," Justin was quick to assure him, smiling as he thought about the words he had just uttered. He couldn't wait to say them again during their wedding in front of all their friends and family. "It's the most perfect ring I've ever seen. You couldn't have picked out a better one."

"Then why did you take it off? Ever since I gave it to you, you've been wearing it 24/7. And not only that, you insisted I do, too. I kept _my_ end of the bargain," he pointed out, peering down at the wedding band snugly wrapped around his right ring finger. Being the ever-present romantic, Justin had insisted on both of them wearing their wedding rings during their engagement, but on their right hands until the actual wedding. So Brian found it unfathomable as to why he would take it off now. He waited curiously for his fiance's reply.

Justin appeared embarrassed as he explained, "I want to put the ring on your finger when we get married...when we say our vows in front of everybody."

"But you'll have to take it off my right hand in order to put the ring on my left hand," Brian reasoned. "What's the difference?"

Justin hesitated; how could he explain it properly? "I know," he admitted, as he peered down at his now-bare right hand. It _did_ feel empty there, strange without the familiar cold weight of the band on his finger. "I do want to put the ring on your finger during the ceremony. But there's another reason. We chose Gus to be our ring bearer, remember? How can he carry the rings down the aisle if he doesn't have them? I don't want to disappoint him, and I'm sure you don't want to, either."

Brian nodded. "Fuck. I hadn't thought about that." He smiled, leaning over on his side to loom over Justin's smaller frame. "I was going to accuse you of being some sentimental, romantic sap. And you still are," he added, chuckling when Justin glared at him. "But you're also very thoughtful, Sunshine. You're right; Gus would have been very disappointed if he wasn't needed during the ceremony. I want him to be a big part of it," he added softly. He held his right hand up in front of his partner. "So do you want to do the honors now _and_ at the wedding? We'll take turns...you take my ring off...and I'll take something off _you._ "

Justin laughed, his face flushing at the outright ogling expression on Brian's face. "Nice try, Kinney...uh, Kinney-Taylor. But you've already taken everything off me that you can take."

"How about I take that goofy grin off your face!" Brian retorted, rolling his eyes. "And about that name..."

The sound of the two lovers laughing as Brian tickled Justin - and then their quite vocal moans of pleasure soon afterward - filtered through the heavy, wooden, bedroom door and spilled out into the inky blackness of the hallway. But with everyone else asleep - including Gus, sleeping a few doors away in his bed and wedged in the middle of two canines like some tasty filling between one chocolate and one brown, furry, cookie wafer - it didn't matter.

* * *

 _Next Morning...Justin and Brian's bedroom_

"Shh," Gus softly scolded his two cohorts in crime as he slowly opened his father and papa's bedroom door; peeking his head inside, he was disappointed to see that both of them were still asleep. He was very hungry, and craving some of the strawberry pancakes with whipped cream and drizzled with chocolate syrup that was his papa's breakfast specialty.

Unable to help himself, the child was careful to close the door behind him - leaving his companions temporarily out in the hallway - before he stealthily crept toward the bed, noticing Justin sleeping on his stomach, his mop of blond hair splayed out on the pillow and making it had to see where his skull stopped and his face began. As he stood by Justin's side of the bed, however, he could hear some whining coming from the other side of the door, and figured he'd better hurry before his father and his papa realized he had left them outside by themselves, or they woke both of them up.

Shaking the bed slightly, it took several seconds before a sleepy Justin turned his head and blinked, wondering what was happening. "Wha...?" He smiled as he opened his eyes and noticed Gus standing there, staring at him intently. Glancing at the bedside clock, he noticed it was a little past eight. "Gus?" he whispered, trying hard not to wake up Brian, who was sleeping on his back a few feet away. "Everything okay?"

Gus nodded. "Want some breakfast," was the short explanation. "Can you make me some pancakes, papa? Mommy and momma are still asleep."

Justin rubbed his eyes as he slid up in bed, glad he had had the foresight to slip on his boxers a few hours ago after he and Brian had finished with their 'activities.' Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he stood up, glancing behind him to note that Brian was still asleep, his mouth slightly open and his now bare right hand flung over his eyes. Justin smirked as he noticed the profile of his soon-to-be-husband's woody underneath the thin sheet, but this time Brian would have to take care of that little problem himself. For now, he had more important matters to handle. Placing his hand on the back of Gus's head, he gently steered him toward the bedroom door, startled when two dogs attacked him eagerly in their welcome greeting to him as soon as he opened it. He softly closed the door behind him, distracted slightly by the excitement his appearance had generated, before turning to scoop Xena up into his arms. "Come on, guys...and gal," he added with a smile, dodging a wet, sloppy kiss from the companion he was carrying. "Let's go get all of you some grub."

He laughed softly at the confused look on Gus's face. "That's a not-so-fancy word for strawberry pancakes and dog chow," he explained as Gus nodded back at him in delight. "Off we go," he told them, heading down the hallway with Gus and Tricky close at his heels.


	6. What Goes UpMust Come Down

_Tricky's daughter learns a new trick. Justin is dismayed, and Brian is horrified._

 _Later that afternoon...backyard_

Emmett clapped his hands to get everyone's attention as he stood near the back of the tent; employees of the party planning company had finished with their preparations for now, allowing him to do a dry run rehearsal of the actual ceremony. At least the logistical part of it; Brian had steadfastly refused to practice reciting the actual vows, even though the minister was present at the moment, saying he was not going to utter any 'romantic babbling' in front of everyone (making Justin wonder just what he WAS going to say at the actual wedding, but having faith that whatever it was, he wouldn't do something TOO embarassing). But he DID agree, at least, to participate in a general rehearsal of walking down the aisle, and finding out where he and Justin would stand during the ceremony.

"Okay, places, everyone! Let's try one go-round, and see what happens! Sweetie, remember, I need you and Brian to hang back until your mom, Debbie, JR, and Gus walk down the aisle - in that order." Justin nodded, his heart hammering in anticipation now. This was as close to the real thing as it would get until they actually said their "I do's," and in a way it was still had to believe - but extremely exciting nonetheless. He looked over at Brian, who shook his head and rolled his eyes at the display of hetero pomp and circumstance, making Justin grin.

"Okay...Jennifer, you walk down first with Tucker," Em instructed her as Jennifer nodded, taking her place at the back of the tent between the last row of chairs, waiting for the pianist sitting at a rented Baby Grand nearby to strike up the music that had been chosen for the walk down the aisle. It wasn't the traditional Wedding March, but at least it wasn't the one that Brian had suggested, either: Somehow he didn't think _Your Body is a Wonderland_ would be acceptable. Justin had finally managed to convince him that his particular ditty wouldn't be too appropriate with Gus and JR around, to his relief, and the song - an instrumental version of _Never Say Never -_ had been a compromise between them.

Just as the pianist was about to lift her fingers and play, Justin cried out, "Wait!" He noticed Gus was swinging his ring bearer pillow up and down like it was some sort of soft, plush yo-yo. "Gus, where're the rings? I thought you were going to go upstairs and get them."

Gus's eyes grew wide and his mouth contorted into an 'O' shape. "I forgot, Papa! I'll go get them right now!" Justin nodded as the small group hung back for a few more minutes, waiting for him to return. The few minutes, however, slowly turned into _several_ minutes, however, making both Brian and Justin concerned.

"He should have been back by now," Brian spoke aloud, echoing Justin's thoughts. "Maybe I'd better go check on him," he decided, as Justin nodded. He was just about to head into the house when his son appeared at the sliding glass door, slowly pushing it open as he walked back outside, still clutching the pillow but upright this time. One, shiny ring was nestled on top.

Brian frowned as he exchanged a confused look with his fiancé. "Gus, why do you only have one of the rings? We need both of them, Sonny Boy."

Gus shrugged nonchalantly. "I didn't see two of them," he revealed. "Just this one. Can't you both use the same one?"

He walked closer to the two men, who noticed by the size of the ring that it must be Justin's. "No, Gus, there were two of them, right by our bed," Brian told him. "You must have overlooked it."

But Gus shook his head. "No, Daddy. I looked and looked. I even looked under the bed. There was a box under there," he told his father. "But it was too heavy for me to move."

Justin blushed, silently grateful that he and Brian kept their 'toy box' securely locked, and that it had been too heavy for Gus to move. After Tricky had made off with his partner's brand new glass dildo that one time, they had been extremely cautious about keeping their sex toys locked and kept stashed under the bed. Leave it to Gus, however, to find it anyway, he thought ruefully, before refocusing his attention on the problem at hand. "Gus, are you sure you looked everywhere, Buddy? The other ring has to be up there."

But Gus adamantly shook his head, growing a little tired of playing ring bearer now as the excitement quickly began to wear off, and his short attention span came into play. "No, papa. I looked real good. It's not up there. Can I go play with Tricky and Xena now?"

"Uh...yeah, sure," Brian told him, as he looked over at his worried fiancé. "It's got to be up there," he assured him quietly, anticipating a major queen out soon. "It probably got pushed under the clock radio, or fell behind the nightstand."

"Of course it did, Sunshine," Deb spoke up from her place a few feet away as Jennifer nodded. "I'm sure it'll turn up; you'll see. Want us to go up and help you look?"

Justin shook his head, for some reason preferring only he and Brian do the honors. "No, thanks. I'm sure Brian and I can find it." Everyone nodded as, without another word, Justin turned and briskly headed toward the backdoor with one purpose in mind: finding Brian's ring. He wasn't coming back outside without it.

Brian nodded by way of excuse before quickly rushing after him, unconcerned. Rings just didn't get up and walk out of a room by themselves; there had to be a logical explanation for it being missing.

* * *

Several minutes later, however, Brian peered over at a tearful-looking Justin who was anxiously gnawing on his thumbnail again. Despite practically turning the room upside down and looking in nooks and crannies that the ring couldn't possibly have traveled to, the piece of jewelry was nowhere to be found. Gus was right; it was gone.

"Where can it be?" Justin fretted. "This can't be happening!" He stared over at his partner, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Brian Kinney, if this is your idea of some sick joke, I'm not laughing. Just tell me where the fuck you put it."

Brian sighed. "Hell, I almost wish I could tell you I'm guilty. But I've been with you all day, remember? Except for when you went downstairs this morning to fix Gus breakfast. And when I left, the rings were both there, I swear. I wouldn't do that to you," he added softly, and Justin realized that he meant it.

"Then where is it?" he asked him. "It didn't just roll off the nightstand, down the hallway, and out the door!" Justin began to pace back and forth, the tension rolling off him in waves and almost making Brian dizzy.

Brian sighed. "Justin...calm down. You're getting worked up over nothing..." _Oops. Wrong thing to say..._

"Nothing? NOTHING?" Justin squeaked. "Your wedding ring is missing, and it's NOTHING? You really don't want to get married, do you?" he accused him, his eyes flashing. He knew he wasn't thinking rationally, but right now he didn't care. He was desperate.

Brian silently counted to ten. "You know that's not true, Justin," he told him quietly as he tried to keep the indignation out of his voice. Did his partner not believe how much he loved him by now, and how much he wanted to be with him? "You're upset, and you don't really mean that," he chided him.

Justin eyes glistened, his face a picture of sadness. "No," he whispered to him after a few moments. "I'm sorry, Brian. It's just that without that ring...I don't want to get married without it. It means too much to me."

"Justin...Sunshine, it's just metal," Brian replied, one hand on his hip as he tried to reason with his stubborn partner. "I'm sure the jeweler can loan us a temporary substitute until we find it."

But Justin shook his head. "It wouldn't be the same," he murmured. "I want to put _your_ ring on your finger tomorrow that you've been wearing...not some insignificant piece of jewelry that holds no meaning for us."

Brian held his hands out to either side of his body. "I don't know what else to do, then," he told him sympathetically.

Justin's eyes grew wide with apprehension. "What about all the workers out back?" he asked. "The only one we really know is Emmett. What if one of them sneaked into the house somehow, found your ring, and took off with it? If they did, it could already be pawned somewhere, and we'd never find it!"

"Justin...why would they only take ONE ring, then? That doesn't make sense."

Justin plopped down dejectedly onto their bed. "NONE of this makes sense!" he cried out, brushing his right hand through his hair, and feeling the loss of his own ring on his hand acutely. He wouldn't put his ring on, either, he decided. Not without Brian doing the same. "We'll have to postpone the wedding," he abruptly decreed.

"Oh, no, we aren't!" Brian growled as he walked over to sit down beside his worried lover. "We are getting married, with or without rings," he told him. "I'm marrying _you_ , Justin Taylor. Not a ring. I don't give a fuck if I have a ring to get married to you or not." He reached over to grasp Justin's hand, only to have his partner spring up from the bed and whirl around to face him, his eyes flashing.

"Well, I do! I...I can't...Aaargh!" he cried out in frustration, rushing into the master bedroom and slamming the door behind him.

"Justin, be reasonable!" Brian beseeched him. But he knew it would do no good. When his fiancé got into one of his moods, there was no reasoning with him. And he knew deep down, also, that his sentimental sap of a partner would not get married, no matter how much he wanted it, without that ring; the ring that seemed to have disappeared into thin air. Sighing in resignation, he finally rose from the bed and went in search of the others, hoping that perhaps more eyes and another search might prove to be successful in solving their mystery.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, however, everyone had to admit defeat. They had scoured every inch of the bedroom, and there was no ring anywhere.

"Sweetheart, come out of the bathroom," Jennifer called through the door, hearing objects being slammed down onto the marble vanity, and something crashing onto the floor. "Justin, what are you doing in there? You're making me worried."

"I'm venting my frustration," he told her, his voice slightly muffled through the door.

"Well, surely you're running out of objects to throw by now," she told him. "Come on."

After about a minute, all of them heard the sound of the deadbolt unlatching, and a splotchy-faced Justin appeared, his hair wet from a shower he had apparently taken. When that hadn't helped, however, he had tried the latest approach to assuage his anger, but that, too, hadn't worked. He sighed as he peered over at his mother, surrounded by Debbie, Emmett, Brian, and now Daphne, who had shown up a short time ago. She smiled at him sympathetically, which only made him feel worse. "Daph," he murmured. "It's gone. Why?"

"Oh, Justin," she whispered, her heart breaking. She knew it was just a ring, but she also knew how much it symbolized to him. "I'm sorry," she told him, not willing to issue a platitude that they would find it. They had looked in every conceivable place they could, and it just wasn't here.

Justin nodded silently as he walked over and once more sat down on the bed, feeling everyone's eyes on him. He peered over at his fiancé, who was leaning against the wall nearby with his shoulders hunched in defeat, feeling utterly ashamed at his conduct earlier toward him. "Brian..."

Brian lifted his head to stare back at him. "Hmmm?"

"Come over here," he asked softly. Brian shuffled over as Justin held his hand out to him; clasping it, Brian sat down beside him. He let out a deep breath. "You were right earlier," he told him. "I mean, I hate that your ring is missing," he explained. "But I'm marrying YOU. I would marry you anytime and anyplace, with or without the ring. So...whether it shows up or not, we're still getting married."

Brian half-smiled at him; relieved but feeling like it was almost a hollow victory. He certainly didn't feel like being smug about it. "I'm glad you changed your mind," he told him, slowly stroking Justin's hand as his fiancé nodded. "Everything's set up outside now, and Em and the minister are still here," he informed him. "You ready for the run through now? We can use one of my other rings in the meantime."

Justin sighed, but nodded as Brian pulled him to his feet. "Okay," he told him. "But you pick the ring out; I can't do it." Brian nodded in understanding, walking over to the walk-in closet to open up a wooden box and retrieve one of the few rings he owned. He normally didn't care for wearing rings, but he had one from his college days that would do. Grasping it in his palm, he close his fist and turned to join the others - just as his son came running into the room. "Daddy! Papa! Come quick! Something's wrong with Xena! Hurry!"

The words were barely out of Gus's mouth before both men raced out of the room on Gus's heels.

They found the puppy outside on the ground, Xena's head hung low as she vomited up part of the dog food she had eaten earlier. Brian groaned at the sight; what else could go wrong today?

Forgetting his other worries, Justin rushed over and stooped down next to Xena, lightly stroking her on the neck. "What's wrong, girl?" he asked her softly. "You feeling sick?" he glanced over at Gus. "Was she doing anything else before we came out?" he asked him.

Gus shook his head. "Just making this awful sound and gagging a little, like when Mommy makes me eat Brussel sprouts, or I won't get any dessert," he told him.

Justin couldn't help grinning over that before he turned serious again, studying the puppy with concern. "You didn't see her eating grass, did you? She does that sometimes, and then throws it up afterward."

Gus shook his head. "No, papa. She was fine until a few minutes ago, and then she made this snorting noise like a horse and started to throw up. Is she going to die?" Gus asked fearfully, thinking back to when Tricky had almost perished after protecting him from a rattlesnake.

"No, Buddy," Justin hastily assured him. "I'm sure she just ate something that didn't agree with her. She's always picking up things that she shouldn't." He frowned, trying to come up with the cause...until a preposterous thought entered his mind with startling clarity. His eyes grew round as saucers, and his heart began to thump in his chest. He didn't know whether to dread what the answer would be, feel relieved...or both. "Uh...Gus..."

"Huh?"

"Has Xena been with you all day today?"

"Uhh...Well... _most_ of the day." Gus bit his lip; a sure sign of anxiety.

" _Most_ of the day? It's okay; I won't get mad," he assured him, noting his hesitation. "Did you keep an eye on her all day, like we asked you to?"

"Well...almost," the little boy responded, shifting back and forth a little in discomfort. "I had to go to the bathroom after I ate lunch, so I brought them into the house with me. I left her and Tricky right outside the door. I told them to stay where they were! But when I came out, she wasn't there, only Tricky. I called for her, though, and she came right back to me."

Brian frowned; what was Justin getting at? After a few seconds, however, his mouth hung open in realization. _Fuck, no..._

"This is important, Gus. Where did Xena come FROM when you called her? The kitchen?"

Gus shook his head. "No, papa. She came down the steps."

Justin peered up at his fiancé, both of them thinking the same thing. "Oh, shit," they both said at once.

"You don't think..." Brian couldn't finish the sentence; just the thought made him queasy. His wedding ring...inside that dog's gut? He wasn't even going to think about it. "No, no way," he muttered by way of denial, unable to even consider it.

"Brian, we know she's tall enough now to reach the nightstand if she stands up on her back paws," Justin told him. "Did you close the bedroom door earlier when you came down this morning?"

"Well..." he hesitated as he thought back. "No, I guess I didn't," he had to admit. "But I didn't see the need. Everybody was outside by then."

"Yeah... _then_ ," Justin pointed out as he gently stroked the puppy's head. Xena wagged her tail in response to his petting her, seemingly none the worse for wear now that she had vomited. "Well, the only way we're going to know for sure is if we take her to the vet and have her x-rayed."

"Oh, fu..." Brian left off the final word, trying to avoid such language in front of Gus. But if he ever felt like swearing, now would be the time. He let out a ragged breath. "I'll get the car," he told him as Justin nodded.

* * *

 _Thirty Minutes Later...Vet's Office_

"Yep, there it is," Doc Thompson informed the two men as they stared, open-mouthed, at the x-ray in front of them. There was no doubt now where Brian's wedding band was: there, in Xena's lower intestine, was the clear outline of a ring. Brian's ring.

"That fucker," Brian growled in dismay. "She swallowed my wedding band!" He peered down in disapproval at their topic of conversation, who was reclining on her stomach in the middle of the examination room on a foam dog bed. She thumped her tail as Brian glared at her. "Don't try to make up with me now, you...you klepto dog!" He shook his head in disbelief. "I don't believe this," he mumbled. "She couldn't swallow a key or a spoon or even a watch! She has to make a beeline for the most expensive piece of jewelry in the house!" He looked over at his fiancé. "She's taking revenge on me for not letting her have the run of the house," he decided. "That's why she bypassed YOUR ring and took only mine."

Justin chuckled. "Come on, Brian! She's not THAT intelligent."

Brian pursed his lips together in irritation. "You're right; I mean, look who her father is." He shook his head again, still trying to absorb what the doc was telling them. "I almost hate to ask this; no, strike that, I DO hate to ask this," he corrected himself. "But just how do we get that out of her? I'm not letting her swallow a $5,000 ring and have it stay there to mingle with her puppy chow forever."

Justin giggled, covering his mouth and pasting on a serious expression as Brian scowled over at him, clearly not amused. He was feeling much better now that they knew what had happened to the ring. But Brian had a point; how _would_ they retrieve it? "Are you going to have to do surgery?" he asked, quickly sobering at the thought. She was so young still, even though she seemed to be growing by leaps and bounds each day; at the pace she was going, she would rival her father in no time.

"Of course," Brian interjected. "He just knocks her out, does a little slicing and dicing, and voila! We take the ring back to the jewelers and trade it in for the exact, same kind, and Xena is a pound lighter and none the wiser." He stole a glance over at Justin, whose face was contorted in horror. "No?" Brian meekly added. He sighed as Justin shook his head. Turning his attention back to the vet, he noticed the man seemed to appear hesitant, as if he wanted to say something else.

"What?" he probed sharply.

"Actually, surgery shouldn't be needed," the vet informed them quietly.

Brian narrowed his eyes warily. "What do you mean? I'm _not_ leaving it in there!""

"Of course not," the doc hastened to assure him with a small smile. He exchanged a look with Justin, who was biting his lower lip; why, Brian wasn't sure. But it made him nervous for some reason.

"Then how do you propose we get it out of there? She's not going to just cough it up."

Justin opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it, deciding the vet was better prepared to explain what he suspected was about to cause a substantial queen out on the part of his fiancé. "Doc, maybe you'd better explain," he suggested, sensing a major eruption about to occur.

Thompson nodded; he had gotten to know both men fairly well during the course of his treatment for Tricky, the man's son's dog who had nearly died due to a rattlesnake bite. And while Kinney had unexpectedly agreed to stay with the dog for his son's sake during his night of observation while the dog recovered, he also knew from the man's normal appearance that he was quite fastidious. He had an inkling, then, that once his client caught onto exactly what sort of 'passive treatment' he was prescribing, he was not going to be happy about it. "Uh...let's just say that in this case with most dogs - and cats - it's best to just let nature take its course."

"But what about her vomiting earlier?" Justin pointed out, refusing to look at Brian while he digested - no pun intended - what the doctor was telling them. "Doesn't that mean that the ring is still lodged somewhere in her throat or stomach?"

"That is not unexpected as it travels through her alimentary canal," the doctor explained. "But now that it's in a non-invasive location - and she does not seem to be suffering any ill-effects - I wouldn't be concerned. I would say your problem should be resolved within, say, 24 hours or less. You'll just need to keep a close eye on her bowel movements until then."

Justin nodded in understanding, covering his mouth with his hand while he waited for the eruption he suspected was about to occur. Brian was a very intelligent man, so the fact that it hadn't happened yet had to be due to his refusal to accept what the doctor's suggested plan of treatment entailed. He knew it wouldn't be long, however, and he was quickly proven right. He held his breath while the ticking of the nondescript clock on the wall seemed inordinately loud to his ears. 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1...

"What the _fuck_!" Brian exploded right on time, making both Justin and the doc wince at the sound; even Xena appeared momentarily startled as she peered up at Brian curiously, As soon as he whirled around and glared at her, however, she thumped her tail at him again as if she were providing some welcome entertainment, completely oblivious to the murderous thoughts swirling through Brian's mind.

"Tell me you are NOT suggesting we...she...you mean...? _Shit_."

Justin giggled. "You got THAT right."

Brian's mouth hung open in disgust, his nose wrinkling as if he could smell it now. "Well, let me make this perfectly clear, Sunshine...I am NOT wearing any ring that has been covered in dog shit; no way, no how."

"Mr. Kinney, dogs swallowing a shiny object are not uncommon," the doctor interjected. "I've had dogs swallow keys, spoons, pennies, you name it. And rings are certainly not unusual. Any reputable jeweler can completely sanitize the ring, so..."

"Doc, you're not listening to what I'm saying! No. 1, I am NOT following that mutt around, waiting for her to take a crap so I can sift through it for my ring. And No. 2, I am certainly _not_ going to wear a wedding ring that has had shit all over it!" He peered over at his fiancé, who wasn't smiling any longer. Quite the opposite, in fact. He knew that look, and it wasn't good.

Justin's mouth drew into a tight line as he crossed his hands over his chest. "Fine," he gritted out. "Then I guess we're not getting married."

Brian's mouth hung open in shock. "But didn't you just tell me earlier that you were marrying ME, and not a piece of jewelry?" he pointed out. "What changed between now and then?"

"Well, now we know what happened to it. Yes, if we hadn't found it, I would have married you with a different ring. But know that we DO know...I told you before. I want to put your wedding ring on your finger; the wedding ring that matches the one that you gave ME. The one that's been on your finger for months now. I want THAT ring, Brian; not an imitation of it."

"Even though you know it has been covered in dog shit and who knows what else?" He shuddered at the thought.

"I would wear it if it were _my_ ring," was the gruff retort. "I wouldn't have it any other way. Because it's the ring that YOU gave me, not some substitution."

Brian snorted. "I've told you time and time again, Sunshine, how I feel about all that romantic bullshit," he replied, emphasizing Justin's pet name with the appropriate amount of sarcasm. "Why did I get talked into all this hetero crap to begin with?"

"Uhh..." Doc Thompson spoke up then, attempting to extricate himself from what was becoming a tense situation. "I'll be right outside if you need me." The two men didn't seem to notice when he quietly slipped out of the examination room and shut the door behind him breathing an immense sigh of relief now that he was not in the middle of what could possibly turn into World War III.

"Everything okay, Doc?" his long-time receptionist, Myrna, asked him as she noticed the odd look on his face. "I thought the puppy was going to be all right."

"Oh, she's fine," he assured her as he sat down next to her and wiped the sweat from his brow. "It's her owners I'm more concerned about." He sighed. "How about some coffee? I think it's going to be a long afternoon."


	7. Giving Inor Giving Up

_Two stubborn men square off regarding the wedding ring. What will be the result?_

Instead of a knock-down, drag-out fight as the Doc had anticipated, the silence in the exam room where Xena had been attended to was deafening at the moment, neither man willing to back down from their position.

"So that's your last word on the subject?" Justin finally asked him tersely, his hands now on his hips as his eyes bored into his partner's.

"I'm a man of few words," Brian told him, his arms crossed over his own chest now. "So when I say something, I mean it."

Justin continued to stare over at him for a few moments, his lips pressed tightly together, before he finally nodded. "Fine."

Brian's left brow raised. That was way too easy, so he knew something was amiss. "Fine? Fine as in...?"

"Fine as in Xena and I are heading back to Britin," Justin told him as he walked over to pick the puppy up, holding her firmly against his chest and realizing it wouldn't be long before he was unable to carry her anymore. "I'll tell Emmett and the others that there's not going to BE a wedding. You win." Without any further discussion, he turned around and headed toward the door.

"Wait a minute!" Brian called after him. "That's it? You're just going to leave with that...that jewelry-eating homewrecker?"

"What's the point of staying?" Justin replied with a shrug. "You've made your opinion crystal clear, and so have I." He shifted his weight slightly to balance the squirming bundle of fur in his arms. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a dog to follow around for the next several hours. Maybe I can at least pawn the ring after it's been cleaned." Continuing to struggle at holding Xena in his arms, he finally gave up and lowered her to the ground as he clipped a leash to her collar. "Come on, girl," he murmured.

Brian stood there in shock, his mouth hanging open as he watched his partner leaving. "We came together," he reminded him. "How am I supposed to get home?" _That is, if he was welcome at home,_ he couldn't help thinking.

Justin turned around briefly to shrug. "You'll figure something out." He resumed his walk toward the door, leaving a stunned Brian staring back at him. "Maybe if you call him loud enough, Tricky will come running, and you can ride _him_ home." He didn't stop to think that they had an audience nearby in the lobby, listening to every word, as he walked to the front door and opened it, his partner following along closely behind him and Xena.

Several seconds later, Brian watched from just outside the entrance as his now _ex-fiancé_ opened the passenger side door and picked up Xena to let her in before he walked around to the driver's side.

"Justin! Don't be ridiculous! We need to talk about this! You're acting like a childish brat!" As soon as the last words flew out of his mouth, he knew that was a mistake; he could tell by the glare of death that was cast his way. "Well, it's true!" he insisted nonetheless. He huffed in exasperation. "That's it! Okay, then, go ahead! Just run away!"

Just as he figured, there were no more words forthcoming from his partner as Justin silently slid behind the driver's seat, slammed the door shut, and started the SUV.

Brian shook his head in disbelief. _What had just happened here?_ "Shit," he muttered under his breath, watching as the vehicle disappeared from sight, leaving him standing there alone with only his righteous indignation for company. Brushing his hand through his hair, he sighed wearily as he heard the building's door open behind him. He turned to observe Doc Thompson standing a few feet away, eying him quietly. He wasn't sure if he was more perturbed by Justin's rather childish display previously, or the look of sympathy on the vet's face.

"What?" he barked, out of patience now. _How did things progress to this point?_

The older man held his hands up in supplication. "Nothing," he assured him hastily. "It's just that I was about to close up for the day...and I go by your home on the way, so I thought you might like a lift."

Brian continued to stew for a few more moments, watching as the vet's assistant opened the door and closed it behind her, taking a moment to wave to the doctor before heading over to her car to leave. He knew in this small town that there certainly was no cab service available, so what choice did he have? Justin certainly wasn't going to come back and get him - not when he was in one of his moods. And boy, was he in one THIS time. He nodded in surrender. "Yeah...okay. Thanks, Doc," he grumbled, feeling like an idiot for even having to accept a practical stranger's offer.

The doctor nodded back at him before turning to lock the door and holding his hand out toward his vehicle - the last one left in the parking lot. Wondering if he was even doing the right thing by returning to the house - but knowing it was the only option, because despite his fiance's penchant for drama, he still loved the stubborn shit - he walked over and slid into the passenger seat, wondering how in the hell things would be when he returned home.

* * *

 _Fifteen Minutes Later - Britin_

Gus came running out of the house along with Tricky as soon as they heard Justin's vehicle pull up and come to a stop, the two moms trying with difficulty to keep up with them as they rushed down the sidewalk toward the SUV. Emmett and Daphne were presently at the back of the house, helping to ready the area for their friends' wedding and unaware of the drama unfolding elsewhere.

"Papa!" Gus shrieked as Justin emerged from the driver's seat. He reached over to attach Xena's leash to her collar before she scrambled over to his side of the SUV, hesitating briefly as she noticed the rather large drop to the curb. Justin reached over to lift her up and then gently placed her on the pavement as the others hurried over to them.

"How is she?" Gus asked worriedly. Tricky walked up and sniffed his daughter curiously, whining softly as if he were relieved to see her again. "Did they find Daddy's ring inside her and get it out?"

Justin sighed, noticing Lindsay and Mel giving him curious looks, no doubt wondering where Brian was at the moment. He nodded. "Well, yes and no. Xena DID swallow it, and it's inside her stomach at the moment. But they don't want to do surgery; that would be hard on a puppy, and he felt it wasn't necessary."

"Then how will they get it out?" He scrunched up his nose in confusion. "Mommy and Mama had rings when _they_ got married. Daddy has to have his ring so he can get married. I'm supposed to give it to him." All of a sudden, he twisted his head around Justin to realize the SUV was unoccupied. "Where IS Daddy?" he said, asking the question that Justin had dreaded.

All eyes were on him - human as well as canine - as he knelt down next to Gus, turning his head just in time to evade one of Tricky's patented licks. "Uhh..." He hesitated, glancing up at both mothers, about to explain Brian's absence as best he could, before his previous comment finally registered with Mel as she realized what the 'solution' to the missing ring would be. "Oh, my God! Of course!" She chuckled. "Oh, this is too good. Brian Kinney has finally gotten himself into some deep shit, just like I thought he would."

Despite his and Brian's argument a little earlier, Justin couldn't help bristling over the way Mel seemed to be enjoying their predicament. Yes, he had laughed earlier when they had first found out the doctor's manner of treatment, but he was NOT laughing now. "Mel, it's not funny," he insisted, shaking his head.

"Mel, language," Lindsay quietly admonished him. "And he's right; this isn't funny. How would YOU have felt if it had happened to us before _our_ wedding? You could be a little more compassionate."

Gus frowned, wondering what 'compassionate' meant. Being the extremely curious child that he was, he opened his mouth to ask, only to stop as Mel responded to her wife's scolding.

"Oh, come on, you two! Brian? Power-suit, nothing-out-of-place Brian? Oh, I could just imagine his face when he found out." In response to her son's look of befuddlement, she peered down at Gus to explain, "Xena will get rid of the ring naturally, Gus. It went in one end...and is has to come out the other. At least eventually, anyway." She half-smiled; she just couldn't help it.

Gus's eyes grew wide, and his mouth formed a perfect "O" as he asked, "You mean she has to poop it up?"

Even though Justin currently looked distressed, Lindsay couldn't help placing her hand over her mouth to stifle her own smile before she composed herself. "Well, Sweetheart, I guess that's one way of putting it," she responded softly.

Gus nodded thoughtfully. "Neat!" he decided abruptly, his eyes full of excitement. That sounded pretty cool to him, in a strange sort of 'Indiana Jones' way. It was certainly something HE had never experienced before. "Well, Daddy put me in charge of the rings," he told them firmly, pushing his shoulders back determinedly as he contemplated his responsibility. "Mommy, get me a plastic bag."

Mel's mouth hung open as she peered over at Lindsay for help.

"Uh...no, Gus," Lindsay advised him. "You are NOT going to follow that dog around until she sh...poops up your Daddy's ring!" She wrinkled her nose in distaste as she asked Justin, "Can it be...restored once it's...you know...recovered?"

"Well, it depends on whom you ask," Justin told her quietly. "According to the vet, yes, it can be completely cleaned and sanitized, and would be good as new. According to Brian, however...and I quote, 'I am certainly _not_ going to wear a wedding ring that has had shit all over it.' Sorry, Gus," he apologized to the little boy for his profanity. "But that's the way your daddy said it."

Gus's face clouded over in distress. "You mean Daddy isn't going to want his ring?" He had been looking forward to dressing up in his miniature designer suit, just like his Daddy and Papa were going to wear, and marching down the aisle to give both of them their rings.

"Of course he will, Sweetheart," Lindsay soothed him. "He didn't really mean that," she assured him, looking over at Justin for confirmation.

"Oh, yes he did," Justin countered, unable to lie.

Lindsay sighed. "Well...then...he can use some _other_ ring, at least until you can get him a replacement for his original one. Right?" To her surprise, Justin shook his head. "Justin?"

He looked down at Gus, who appeared decidedly unhappy, and he felt like shit himself. What had happened between him and Brian back at the vet's office? How stupid could he have been to insist that Brian either wear his ring, or no ring at all? Brian had been right. He wasn't marrying a piece of metal; he was marrying _him._ Yes, every sentimental bone in his body screamed for Brian to be sensible and let the jeweler clean and sanitize the ring so he could wear it in time for the wedding; but he also knew when it came down to it, he wanted to marry Brian whether there was any ring or not. Hell, he would use a fucking piece of LifeSaver candy if he had to. What was it he had once said to Brian that fateful evening years ago when he had to leave the next day for New York City? He had told him he didn't need rings or vows for them to prove their love. _Nice job, Taylor_ , he berated himself.

Realizing everyone was still waiting for him to respond, he cleared his throat. "I...I don't think the wedding will take place...at least not on schedule, anyway." _Or at all_ , he thought anxiously as he chewed on his lower lip.

Mel's mouth dropped open. She silently warned Brian that he'd better not fuck this up by refusing to marry this man, or he would never hear the end of it from her and a lot of other people. "You're kidding me? He called off the wedding all because of the ring?"

"No," Justin whispered painfully. " _I_ did."

"What?!" Both women exclaimed at once.

"Papa, you and Daddy aren't getting married because he doesn't have his ring?" Gus asked, his lower lip quivering.

Justin couldn't bear to look Gus in the face, but he couldn't lie to him, either. "I guess not, Buddy. At least not now, anyway." _And whose fault is that?_ He asked himself scornfully.

"Where IS Daddy? I want to talk to him. He's _got_ to marry you. He loves you. That's what people do when they love each other, isn't it?" Gus asked him, his face scrunching up with dismay. To him, the answer was clear. Why couldn't his papa see that?

Justin swallowed hard, suddenly feeling ashamed of himself. Perhaps Gus's response was simplistic, but in a way he was right. Maybe you didn't _have_ to get married if you loved someone, but he had been waiting for this forever, and now he might have promptly shot it all to hell, just because of not having a material symbol of their love. And that's all it was in the end - symbolic. It didn't change his love for him.

"He...he stayed behind at the vet's office." He didn't have the nerve to tell the child that he had more or less just left his father stranded there. He looked down at Gus's sorrow-filled face, suddenly feeling like a dumbass and a jerk; what had he been thinking?

He squatted down to gently grasp Gus by his upper arms. "Everything will work out okay, you'll see. Don't worry." He brushed some tears away from the little boy's cheeks before slowly pulling him into a tight embrace, closing his eyes to hide his own anguish.

The two women studied him. Both of them had questions regarding exactly what had happened, but they chose not to voice them aloud. None of this made a lot of sense to either one of them. Why had Justin left Brian at the vet's office if Xena came home with him? The only logical explanation was that they had had some sort of disagreement over what to do about Brian's ring - and it had segued into them breaking off their wedding.

"I...I need to go talk to him," Justin decided as he stood back up. "Would you watch Xena for me?" he asked the two women, still holding onto her leash.

"Of course, Sweetie," Lindsay told him as Justin handed the leash over to her. "You go do what you need to," she told him.

Justin was about to turn around and leave when Gus pulled on his shirt tail to get his attention. "What is it, Gus?" he asked him softly, his strong urge to get back to the vet's office to talk to his partner/fiancé/whatever he was called now warring with his need to be patient with Brian's son, who was still noticeably upset.

"I can go with you, Papa, and talk to him. He will listen to me," he pleaded, sniffling.

Justin thought his heart was going to break over Gus's words. "I know he would, Gus," he whispered as he placed the palm of his left hand against the little boy's cheek. "He loves you so much," he told him, watching as Gus blinked and a tear trickled down the child's face. "And so do I. But I need to talk to him alone. I'm not sure you can understand why, but you'll have to trust me that I will make everything right with your daddy, okay? I need for you to be the man of the house, and watch over Xena and Tricky for me while I'm gone. Can you do that for me, Buddy? I promise we will both come and see you when we get back home." Although, Justin thought silently, he couldn't be sure it would be together or alone. All he knew was that he couldn't let things stay the way they were.

To his relief, Gus wiped his face with the back of his hand and nodded, "I won't let you down, Papa," he told him as he reached over to take Xena's leash from his mother, standing up straight.

Justin thought he saw tears in both women's eyes as he murmured, "You never have, Gus." He took a deep breath. "I'll be back as soon as I can," he told the two women as they nodded back at him sympathetically. "Bye, Buddy," he told Gus as the boy waved back at him.

"Bye, Papa!" he shouted at him as Justin turned to head back to the SUV.

"What do you think that was all about?" Mel pondered as Justin slipped into the driver's seat of the SUV and prepared to leave.

Lindsay glanced down at her tearful son. "I have my theories. But not now," she murmured, bobbing her head slightly at their child to indicate it was best they discuss it in private.

Gus leaned over and hugged Tricky on the back, pressing the side of his face against his fur. The dog seemed to understand his anguish as, for once, he remained still and quiet, allowing Gus to continue embracing him and offering what comfort he could.


	8. Without this RingI Thee Wed

_The boys have a heart-to-heart talk, bolstered by a certain little boy's conviction to bring them together. Will it work?_

Justin had just left the driveway in his SUV a few minutes ago when Tricky's ears perked up suddenly, and Gus felt his tail wagging vigorously while he hugged him; the dog's entire body vibrated with excitement as Gus stood up at the sound of a car coming up the driveway. He squinted his eyes, trying to figure out if it was his papa returning, but he didn't recognize the vehicle at all as it slowed to a stop near the front of the house.

No sooner had the passenger emerged from the vehicle, however - the door slamming as the car slowly drove off - did Tricky take off like a rocket, and Gus immediately understood the reason why.

"Daddy!" he shouted out in delight as he, too, came rushing down the sidewalk toward him, promptly dropping Xena's leash as she bounded along behind him.

His father's smiling expression over his son's greeting turned into one of dread as a blond, furry rocket came lumbering toward him as well. "No! Don't even think about it!, you hairy mammoth!" he warned the dog as he came bounding over to him; he held his hands out defensively in front of him, but it was as if Tricky were deaf. If anything, the dog's pace increased as Brian looked around desperately for anything to anchor himself from what he suspected would feel like a Category 4 hurricane coming ashore. He finally rushed over to a nearby oak tree and wrapped his arms around the large trunk, just in time to support himself as Tricky ran over and jumped up against him, bracing his front paws on Brian's shoulders as he pummeled him with lick after lick from his thick tongue. "Aaargh!" Brian shouted, turning his face to the side to try and shield himself from the flood of saliva, feeling Tricky's wet tongue gliding all over his cheek, up and down, over and over again like he was some giant ice cream cone. "Stop it! I don't _want_ your tongue!" he growled as his son, Lindsay, Mel, and Xena all came hurrying over to his side. He heard Mel chuckle nearby, and he rolled his eyes, knowing some sarcastic remark was about to be issued. He didn't have long to wait as he continued to try and protect himself from Tricky's overly enthusiastic greeting.

"I never thought I would live to see the day," he heard her say dryly. "The day that Brian Kinney didn't like tongue."

"Will you get him off me?" he yelled in exasperation, hugging the tree as he held on for dear life. He figured standing as Tricky attacked him was preferable to being splayed on the ground like a human pancake.

He finally felt the heavy weight being lifted from him as he twisted his head to see Lindsay holding onto Tricky's collar. His chest heaving from the onslaught, he silently was thankful he had a strong heart as he let go of the tree and turned around, still struggling to regain his breath. "Shit," he mumbled under his breath as he straightened out his shirt and brushed his hand through his hair to flatten it back down. He picked a couple of pieces of bark out of his hair as he greedily inhaled a deep breath before blowing it out, glaring down at his adversary. "Don't they have some kind of doggie obedience boot camp for hard-core dropouts?" he muttered, noticing Tricky wagging his tail back at him and whimpering, still struggling to break free from Lindsay's hold. But thankfully, her grasp held firm as she reached down and hooked the end of his leash onto his collar before standing back up, holding on tightly to the other end, even as Tricky surged against it.

Lindsay sighed. "Believe me, we've tried it. I'm afraid he's just going to have to outgrow it, Brian."

"What? When he turns nine? What's the life expectancy for labs?"

"Brian!" Lindsay scolded him as he rolled his eyes at her. She sighed. "I'll try to keep a better watch on him," she promised. But even she silently admitted that when it came to THIS particular canine, that was near to impossible, at least where Brian was concerned. "Maybe it's some kind of weird pheromone thing," she suggested.

"Well, you got the weird part right," Brian agreed, scowling down at Tricky. He sighed then, deciding to focus on his son, who had remained inexplicably quiet during all this time. "Gus? You okay?" He frowned when his son shook his head. "What's wrong, Sonny Boy? Are you worried about Xena? If you are, she's going to be fine," he assured him, glancing over at the other dog who was standing near Mel, seemingly none the worse for wear. At least SHE seemed to have some restraint, at least where he was concerned.

"No, it's not that, Daddy."

"Then what?" Brian pressed him gently, a little worried now that he noticed what appeared to be partly dried-up tear tracks on his son's face.

"Papa told me that you aren't getting married now," he told him. "Is that true, Daddy?"

Brian licked his lips nervously. He had briefly forgotten that Justin was already back here, and had no doubt had to explain what had happened at the vet's office. Apparently he had told them the wedding was off. Was it? He was hoping that he and Justin could still work things out. Was it too late? "He told you that?" he asked his son softly, peering up at Lindsay, who nodded back at him in confirmation.

Gus, too, nodded his head sadly. "Is it true? You're not getting married because you won't wear your ring after Xena poops it up?"

Brian swallowed hard; nothing was worse to him than disappointing his son. He would have normally at least smiled over his son's description, but at the moment he didn't find anything amusing. "Gus, it's not that simple," he struggled to explain. He wasn't sure HE understood everything, either. All he knew was that his and Justin's relationship was fucked up at the moment.

"Don't you love Papa, Daddy?" his deep brown eyes bored into his father's as he stared up into his face without hesitation.

Brian didn't have to think about that; there was one thing he was never in doubt about. "Of course I do," he murmured, a little embarrassed to have to admit it out loud. But he WAS marrying him, for God's sake. That had to mean something, didn't it? Well, at least he was _supposed_ to marry him. "You know I do," he added softly.

"Then don't you want to make him happy, Daddy? You're always telling ME that you love me and want to make ME happy."

Brian sighed. How did he son always get him backed into a corner with his questions and his logic? "Gus...think about it. Xena's going to have to...well, you know," he mumbled. He knew he didn't have to spell it out. "And when it comes out...let's just say it's not going to be pretty. What if all that vomiting makes her have diarrhea? Do you remember when you were sick with the flu that one time, and what happened then?"

Gus wrinkled his nose. He must have made a trip to the bathroom every other hour with HIS diarrhea. But he didn't have a ring in him, either. "Can't you wear gloves like Mommy wears when she paints?" he asked. "She just throws them away after she's done with them, and she doesn't get anything on her. If you're afraid of getting poop on you, Daddy, I can wear the gloves and pick it up after it pops out. Then I'll just go rinse it off real good in the creek before you put it back on. That's my job."

Brian peered over at the two women helplessly, silently beseeching them to help explain this predicament to his child. But to his consternation, Mel merely grinned back at him sweetly, while Lindsay arched one eyebrow expectantly. He shook his head slightly in exasperation. "But...it's not that simple, Sonny Boy," he began.

Gus frowned. "Why? Whenever one of my toys gets dirty, that's how I clean it up. It washes right off."

"But you don't have to wear a truck, or a yo-yo, or a Spiderman," he pointed out. "There are health issues involved. I...I could get sick from something." _Yeah, that sounded plausible. Well, it was the truth, wasn't it?_

"Sick?' His son repeated as Brian nodded back at him, thinking he had finally gotten through to him. "What would you get, Daddy?" he prodded him.

Brian thought about making something up, but one look at the earnest expression on his son's face, and he just couldn't do it. He finally settled on, "Germs, Gus. Lots and lots of germs."

"My teacher says sometimes germs can be a good thing."

"What?" all three of his parents replied, shocked.

"Surely she didn't tell you that, Honey," Mel interjected. "You told me she's always telling you to wash your hands after you go to the bathroom and come in from the playground. I can't believe she would say that."

"She did," Gus insisted. "She told us that sometimes if we have germs, that it helps us not to get sick the next time. So maybe you NEED some germs, Daddy."

Brian let out a deep breath of frustration. "Gus..."

"Brian, Justin told us the ring could be completely sanitized," Lindsay quietly pointed out.

"Or so he says," Brian countered. "He's not the one who would have to wear it, though."

"So let me get this straight," Mel interrupted. "You're not willing to wear a ring that has been totally cleaned and sanitized. But all your life you've never had a problem sticking your a...well, you know what," she replied, glancing down at Gus, who was absorbing every word, "in any willing receptacle and in any location. But you have a problem with wearing this ring?"

Brian scowled at her. "Mel, stay out of this," he warned her quietly.

"Hitting a nerve, Brian?" she taunted him.

"You're lucky that Gus is here," he told her, peering down at his curious son.

"Or what?"

"Or I would..."

"Brian! Mel!" Lindsay implored. "This isn't helping anything!"

"I'm just being brutally honest," Mel replied, smirking over at Brian, who continued to shoot daggers at her.

His eyes flashed at her disdainfully as he retorted, "Look, Ms. High-Faluting Lady Attorney! I don't need your fucking words of wisdom right now!"

"Brian, language!" Lindsay reminded him, still holding on tightly to Tricky's leash. She could tell the dog was getting restless, however. Deciding to take her son out of the equation and also quell some of Tricky's nervous energy, she turned to Gus to ask, "Honey, why don't you take Tricky into the backyard, and Xena, too? They're getting restless, and probably would like to stretch their legs."

"But what about your ring, Daddy?" Gus persisted as he peered up at his father.

Brian sighed. "Don't worry about it, Gus," he told his son gently. "I'll go in and talk to your Papa. I'm sure we can work something out." _Even if Justin was the most obstinate and sentimental man he had ever met. That didn't negate his love for him, though, but boy, could he try his patience!_

"But he's not here," was his son's surprising reply.

Brian had figured Justin had drove his SUV into the garage and parked it, but apparently that wasn't the case. "What do you mean...he's not here?"

"He told us he was going back into town to talk to YOU. Didn't you pass him?" Lindsay asked in surprise.

"No." The road that led to their driveway was a one-way street. Which probably meant only one thing; he must have just missed him. Otherwise, he would have been sure to notice his vehicle on the way back to Doc Thompson's office, since there was really only one way to get there from Britin. "How long ago did he leave?"

"Just a few minutes ago," Lindsay told him.

"Shit," Brian muttered, ignoring Mel's scowl over his language. He had an idea she wasn't always mindful of that herself back home; it would go against her nature. He thought briefly about hopping in his car, and heading back there, but he soon discovered there was no need.

"Daddy, look! It's Papa!" Gus squealed. Sure enough, Brian watched as Justin's SUV slowly headed up the driveway toward them. He felt a lurch in his stomach as he watched the vehicle come to a stop several feet away. His gaze locked on his lover's immediately as Justin peered through the side window at him. He couldn't detect any hint of the indignation or anger that had been present earlier as he observed Justin emerge from the driver's side and walk around the front of the SUV to hesitantly approach them.

"Papa!" Gus cried out in relief; no one thought to restrain Xena as both she and Gus took off at a run straight toward him.

"Xena, no!" Lindsay shouted at the puppy; but just like Tricky - who was straining to join them - she did not pay her any mind, arriving at Justin's feet in record time. At least Xena wasn't quite large enough to knock him down, however, and Justin had a chance to brace himself against the side of the vehicle just before she began her assault.

"Xena!" Justin admonished her as the dog jumped up on her hind legs and wedged Justin between her and the car. "Down!" he ordered her in a stern voice. To everyone's astonishment - including Justin's - the puppy lowered herself to the ground, staring up at him as she let out a couple of sharp barks. "Shh...It's okay, Xena!" Justin assured her, his voice a little tenderer. He looked up in time to see Gus launching himself at him as well, barely having enough time to prepare before the boy plastered himself against his body.

"You came back!" he exclaimed in happiness. To him, everything was going to be okay now; he didn't realize yet how simplistic that was. "Daddy's here, too!"

Justin wrapped his hand around the child's body as he pulled him close, Xena whimpering for attention. "I can see that," he murmured, looking over at his partner standing several feet away, his eyes fixed on him as well. He felt his face flushing in reaction as he told the boy, "Gus, could you take Xena and Tricky in the backyard for a while? I need to speak to your father."

"You're not upset with each other now?" he asked, peering up at Justin with big, brown eyes. "You're still going to get married?"

 _How was the best way to answer that?_ Justin pondered. He didn't want to lie to him. "No, Gus. We're not upset with each other anymore." At least he hoped not, anyway; he wouldn't know that for sure until he spoke with Brian. "I don't know about the wedding happening on schedule," he answered him honestly, his eyes continuing to stare into Brian's. "But I still want to marry your Daddy...very much."

Gus nodded nonetheless, encouraged. "So when you DO get married, I'll get to bring you and Daddy the rings after Xena poops Daddy's up?" he asked. "I told Daddy I would clean his for him."

Justin couldn't help smiling a little in amusement at that. "Well...that's very thoughtful of you, Gus." He swallowed hard, trying to offer some reassurance to the child as he glanced down at Gus's earnest face. "I don't know..."

"Gus."

Justin's heart raced as he heard Brian quietly addressing his son from a few feet away; he hadn't noticed him drawing closer while they had been talking. He turned to peer over at his lover, his eyes trying to ascertain how Brian was feeling. But while Brian's voice was gentle with his son, he still couldn't tell his mood from the neutral expression on his face.

"Gus, take Xena and Tricky out to the backyard like your mommy asked," Brian gently urged his son. The voice was firm at the same time, however, telling his precocious child that he meant it.

"Okay, Daddy," Gus replied reluctantly, biting his lip as he looked between his father and Justin. "Daddy?"

Brian sighed, rubbing his face with his hand. "Yes?" he responded softly.

"Are you still mad at Papa?" He had to ask.

Brian gazed over at the man he deeply loved; nothing would ever change that, no matter WHAT happened. "Gus...Please do as I say, okay? We'll talk about this later."

Gus looked like he wanted to say more, but he finally nodded. Patting his lower leg invitingly, he urged Xena to follow him. "C'mon, girl," he called to her. To everyone's relief, the puppy seemed to understand the importance of leaving the two men alone as she turned and followed Gus back to his two mothers; the little boy pulled gently on Tricky's leash, beseeching father and daughter to follow him as he walked around the side of the house toward the gate leading into the backyard.

Brian stared over at Lindsay, who gave him a brief nod and a smile of what appeared to be encouragement, before - with her hand on Mel's shoulder - the two women turned and reentered the house, leaving the two lovers alone.

There was a tense moment or two of awkward silence between them before Brian finally spoke up. "They said you left a few minutes ago."

Justin nodded. "I did. How did you get back here?"

"The doc dropped me off."

"Oh."

"But you didn't know that. So why did you come back? Change your mind about wanting to talk to me?" There was a hint of accusation, but also hurt and vulnerability in his voice as he spoke.

His partner shook his head, his eyes studying him carefully. "Not exactly," he responded quietly but firmly, trying to convey his sincerity. "I called the vet's office to make sure you didn't leave, but got their answering service instead. They told me everyone had left for the day. I didn't know what to do...so I decided to come back here. I knew you would return eventually."

"How, Justin? By helicopter? Horseback? Only we don't have horses, and Tricky wasn't available." His lips were pressed firmly together, the heat of their previous argument still a little too fresh.

Justin sighed. "Brian, I'm sorry I just ran off and left you there. I...I wasn't thinking." He averted his gaze, suddenly feeling uncomfortable.

"Oh, you were thinking, all right. But you were only thinking of yourself."

"That's not entirely true!" Justin maintained as he lifted his gaze to meet his partner's, his eyes flashing. He scratched the back of his head, a gesture that Brian immediately knew Justin did whenever he was anxious. "Brian, I don't want to fight with you. I _always_ hate fighting with you."

Brian sighed, letting some of the tension flow out of him. "You think I don't feel the same way?" He shook his head in frustration. "Justin, how did our wedding plans transform into this fiasco? It's just a damn ring."

Justin nodded, licking his lips to wet them, his throat dry. "I know that," he told him softly. "But you know what it means to me." He lifted his hand to quell any counterargument from Brian as he added, "But you mean _more_." To his relief, Brian remained quiet, allowing him to finish. "Brian...I still want to marry you. With or without a ring. That is...if you feel the same." He let out a deep breath and averted his eyes, his heart thumping in his chest as he wondered whether or not Brian might just decide to make him squirm a little before he answered...or decide not marry him at all now. He hoped not...but perhaps he deserved it.

Brian shook his head, his hand reaching out to grip Justin's chin and gently force him to look him in the eyes. "Justin..." his voice was so compelling, that it made Justin's pulse race, and he couldn't look away. He knew he was about to get his answer, whether it was the one he wanted or not.

"Sunshine..." At the sound of his nickname, Justin's hope surged, but he tried desperately to tamp it down, just in case.

Brian's lips curled under briefly in that 'little-boy' look that was always so endearing to his partner, as he gently scolded him. "You can be such a drama queen." His thumb quickly came up to caress Justin's full, bottom lip, a subtle but clear directive for him to not speak; a gesture that, fortunately, Justin understood as he remained silent, his blue eyes staring back intensely at him. "But I guess I can be one, too," was the quiet admission. Brian smiled softly then, deciding it was time to put Justin out of his misery. "Of course I still want to marry you. You make my life...interesting - and extremely frustrating. But...you also make my life complete," he told him. "And...I can't think of anyone I'd rather spend the rest of my life with than you. Or be another father to my son, who already thinks of you that way, anyway." He saw a flash of relief wash over Justin, as he slid his hand around to grip the back of his partner's neck, pulling him closer. He took a deep breath, always needing, even now, to steel himself before he made any overt emotional, heartfelt statements. But at least he _could_ say them now...from time to time. "I love you, you stubborn, pig-headed, romantic sap."

Justin smiled in relief then, his eyes prickling with moisture as he slid his hands up to rest them, palms down, on Brian's chest. The kiss that immediately followed was passionate, both of them using it to express their feelings for each other, much like it always did. But this time the emotions were so strong that it threatened to overwhelm both of them as they continued to kiss deeply for several seconds before they finally broke it off, breathless and panting.

Brian smirked at him in that ' _see, I can always take your breath away, even now'_ sort of way, causing Justin to roll his eyes at him and Brian to grin. He turned his head as he caught a flash of movement in their home's doorway. "I think we have an audience," he told his now fiancé (again).

"Hmm?" Justin murmured, nuzzling Brian's neck and feeling vastly relieved that he and Brian had settled things.

"Take a look."

Justin reluctantly pulled back to peer in the direction Brian was indicating and had to chuckle at the sight of Daphne and Emmett standing in the doorway, grinning back at them like a pair of fools. He thought he saw tears in Emmett's eyes as his friend placed his hand over his heart like he was going to pass out soon...and knowing Emmett, he thought that was a real possibility.

"Do you two mind?" Daphne then called over to them. "We're trying to rehearse for a wedding here, and it's not like I get to be a maid of honor just any time," she reminded Justin, an eyebrow raised at her friend meaningfully, her hands on her hips. By the look of relief on both their faces, it was obvious that they had been told what had happened.

Justin laughed. "Okay, we're coming," he told her.

"You go ahead," Brian told him as Justin took his hand and started to tug him toward the house.

"Brian?" Justin frowned; he had thought everything was okay.

Brian smiled softly at him before leaning over to peck him reassuringly on the lips. "I just want to talk to Gus and make sure he knows that everything's alright now. And to let him know that his duties as ring bearer are still needed."

"At least for one of the rings," Justin couldn't help replying a little wistfully.

Brian lifted an eyebrow at him. "We'll find some substitute for it," he promised him. "Gus will have two rings."

Justin nodded, as Brian studied him thoughtfully for a moment. "I'll meet you out back at the tent as soon as I round up Gus - and corral the horses."

Justin laughed as he nodded back at him, his heart lighter now that he and Brian had resolved their problems. He had a wedding tomorrow to look forward to. "Well, good luck, Tex," he told him with a distinctive southern drawl.

"Thanks, I'll need it," was the dry response; Justin stood there for a few moments, watching him stroll over to the side yard and disappear around the corner. Sighing a little resignedly that the ring was not going to be making an appearance, he pushed that melancholy thought aside before moving to join his friends, choosing to concentrate on what was really important.


	9. Gus on a Mission

In this chapter: Gus is deliriously happy when he finds his father's ring; Brian simply becomes delirious.

 _The Next Morning...Brian and Justin's bedroom..._

"Hmmm," Justin sighed in pleasure as he felt a pair of soft, warm lips skimming over his upper back. He was lying on his stomach, his arms folded under his head that was resting on the pillow. He smiled, his eyes still closed, as a warm tongue swept down his spine. This was the perfect way to wake up.

Brian lifted his head in response to his fiance's verbal expression of approval. "Wake up, bachelor boy. Your days of being footloose and fancy free are over." All he received for his effort was an incoherent mumble, however, as Justin turned his head away from him. "Too early," he murmured in protest, wishing to remain in bed for the foreseeable future, even if he WAS going to be married later today.

Brian rolled his eyes. If Tricky didn't react so enthusiastically every time he saw him, he would have half a mind to let him into their bedroom, along with his demonized spawn, to help wake his fiancé up. But he knew that the beast and his metal-chomping accomplice were both presently in his son's bedroom, no doubt on his bed with Gus wedged between them. He peered down at the immobile body lying beside him and shook his head in amusement. At least Justin hadn't spouted any romantic drivel last night about sleeping separately the night before their wedding, although he had half been expecting it. After the ring disaster, both men had been mentally exhausted by the time evening had drawn to a close, however, so they had had to satisfy themselves with only one bedtime fuck before falling asleep, tangled up in each other's arms and legs.

Brian slid over to slowly remove the sheet that was half-hiding his fiance's lower body, taking a moment to admire his lover's smooth skin and...other attributes. He couldn't help trailing the tips of his fingers down the middle of Justin's spine to follow his tongue from before, watching the slender body shiver in response. He grinned, noticing his reaction. "Hmmm...well, in that case, I'll guess we'll just have to tell Emmy Lou that the wedding really IS off, since you can't get up."

At last that evoked more of a response, as Justin lifted his head and turned toward him, his eyes now open. "Over my dead body," he growled in a vehement whisper; he squeaked as Brian promptly flipped him over onto his back and began to tickle him mercilessly.

"Stop it!" Justin protested, unable to keep from laughing as Brian grinned more widely at him. He gripped Brian's upper arms in an attempt to push him away, but it was useless. "Brian! You asshole, get off me!"

Brian chuckled, but finally stopped his torment. "Now you know how I feel when Tricky greets ME," he told him as Justin grinned back at him. Their smiles slowly transformed into something more serious as they both gazed into each other's eyes, mutually thinking about what would be happening later today. Even though Justin placed more emphasis and importance on the ceremony being held today, Brian silently had to admit that it inexplicably meant a lot to him, too. Bracing himself on his elbows, he leaned in to brush Justin's lips with his before he pulled back slightly. "We're really doing this," he whispered. It wasn't a question, but a statement.

Justin smiled at him tenderly, vastly relieved that yesterday's disagreement had been resolved. "Yeah. We really are," he replied softly.

Brian nodded, his eyes lowering to study Justin's lips, the mouth he had kissed so many times he couldn't possibly keep count any longer. He knew he would never grow tired of kissing - and loving - this man. Seconds later, the two lovers were kissing passionately, which, naturally, proceeded to more intimate endeavors. After all, they had to start their wedding day off right in true Kinney-Taylor fashion.

* * *

An hour later, the two grooms emerged from their master bedroom, Brian vastly relieved that he wasn't greeted with a Tricky knock-down as soon as he opened the door. Apparently either Gus was outside with the two mutts, or they hadn't awakened yet.

He soon discovered that he and Justin were the last two people to head downstairs.

"Well, if it isn't the two lovebirds!" Emmett crooned as they walked down the steps together, Brian's hand on his fiance's shoulder. "I thought we were going to have to send the minister up to your bedroom so you could recite your vows there."

Justin chuckled as they reached the first floor. "It's not THAT late, Em," he pointed out, glancing over to the foyer's grandfather clock to note it was a little after ten.

"Well, maybe not for _you_ , Baby," he told his friend, pecking him on the cheek and receiving what he thought was a scowl from Justin's possessive, soon-to-be-husband. "But for the rest of us, time's a wastin', as my Aunt Lula would put it, and there is a ton to do still. Now go get some breakfast so I can start getting the kitchen set up for the caterers. Everyone's out back on the patio."

Justin nodded, pulling a somewhat reluctant Brian down the hall toward the kitchen.

"I'm not hungry...any longer," he told him with a smirk. He had already had his high-protein breakfast.

Justin rolled his eyes. "Well, I am, _Mr. I-don't-eat-carbs-for-breakfast_ ," he replied. Brian grinned. "You can have some nice, dry, whole wheat toast while I fix something more substantial. Besides, you need to reserve your carb intake for later - for the wedding cake."

Brian groaned at the thought as Justin tugged him toward the rear of the house, his hand wrapped around his wrist as if he were afraid he would bolt any second. He made Justin stop momentarily, long enough to warn him, "You had better not even think about smashing any damn piece of cake in my face, Sunshine." He knew there was no way he was going to get away with not eating any of the marble cheesecake at all, but he could still preserve his dignity.

"Now would I do that?" Justin replied, the twinkle in his eyes betraying him.

"Yes, you would, Steve Urkel," Brian retorted. He sighed. Maybe eloping would have been a better idea after all; especially after what happened yesterday. _Speaking of which_... "Have you seen my son and his two terrorists?" he asked Emmett, who had followed them into the kitchen.

His friend grinned, making Brian a little nervous. "Oh, yeah, they're out there, all right. And your ring bearer is taking his responsibility very seriously," he told him. "He's deeply involved with his duties as we speak."

Brian narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean... _deeply involved?"_

"Well, let's just say it includes a quart-size Ziploc bag, a pair of latex gloves - which are way too big for him, by the way - and a magnifying glass. Where he got that from, I have no idea, but he brought it downstairs with him first thing this morning...and he's been out in the backyard ever since. Now if you'll excuse me...duty calls." Grinning as Brian quickly understood what Gus was up to, he gave them a friendly wave before opening up the screen door and hurriedly disappearing outside.

Brian groaned; he thought he had talked Gus out of that. "Oh, no. Why did I ever get him that science kit for Christmas?"

Justin covered his mouth to hide his amusement, earning a glare from his partner.

"This is NOT funny!" he growled. "My son is out there right now, following along behind YOUR dog, waiting for her to take a crap so he can examine the shit with a fucking magnifying glass! He isn't panning for gold!"

Justin giggled, unable to help himself. "Well, he is, in a way; but it's platinum, though." He shook his head in response to his partner's scowl. "Come on, Brian! You have to see _something_ humorous in this! I'm sure Mel and Lindsay won't let him actually pick anything up. And Debbie wouldn't hear of it, you know that!"

"Do I?' Brian countered. "She's wanting me to wear that feces-encrusted ring in the worst way." His curled his lips under as a thought occurred to him. "Justin, go get those heavy rubber gloves you use out in the studio to clean your brushes with, and give them to Debbie. Tell her we have a job for her. At least she can avoid dishpan hands."

"Brian!"

His fiancé shrugged. "Well, isn't that better than Gus doing it? She's used to working with shitheads at the diner all the time; what's one more?"

"My dog is not a _shithead_ as you so eloquently put it," Justin replied stiffly, somehow insulted by that remark, even if Xena WAS a thief and a canine metal detector. "She's a puppy, Brian. A very inquisitive puppy who just happens to like shiny things. And at least she had good taste."

That produced a guffaw. "Well, that certainly redeems her," his partner answered dryly. He sighed. "Well, if you won't go get the gloves, I guess I'll have to get them."

Justin's mouth hung open. "There is NO way you're going to take over for Gus," he told him. "And you will NOT suggest it to Debbie, either."

"You got part of it right. I wouldn't go near that shit...literally. No, don't worry; I've decided that this is the perfect job for our wedding planner. I'm not paying Honeycutt for nothing."

"Yes, you are."

"What?"

"You're not paying him anything. It's his wedding present to us, remember?"

"Oh. Well, then, I'll appeal to his sense of fashion. I'll let him wear some orange gloves instead of the yellow ones."

"Brian, you can't do that!"

"Can't do what?"

The two men turned to observe Daphne standing on the other side of the screen door, holding her now empty breakfast plate and glass in her hand. "About time you two fuckers got up," she added with a knowing smirk as Justin pulled the door open for her. _Why would today be any different than every other morning?_

"That's why we were fucking," Brian explained as he reached to give Justin's cock a quick squeeze through his denim jeans, curling his lips under as Daphne grinned, noticing Justin blushing.

"Well, now that you're finally done with your morning ritual, you've got about four hours to eat, shower, and get dressed. Knowing you two, and the showers YOU take, that will be just long enough. So get cracking!"

Justin laughed as he gave her a salute. "Yes, Ma'am!" he responded dutifully as he turned to address his partner. "Brian, you heard her; sit your scrawny ass down and I'll get our breakfast started."

"Hey!" his fiancé protested indignantly, causing both friends to burst out laughing. " _Anyone's_ ass would look scrawny next to yours," he pointed out. Grumbling about being unappreciated and abused, he walked over to grab a cup of coffee as Daphne placed her dirty dishes into the sink. He was about to sit down (on his aforementioned scrawny ass) when he heard his son speaking through the back screen door; his words caused his heart to start racing with apprehension:

"Come on, Xena, you can do it! Push! Harder!" Any other time Brian would have made some smart-ass remark about Justin saying much the same thing to _him_ whenever they fucked, but he was too worried about what his precocious son was up to at the moment.

He and Justin exchanged a brief look before both of them shot out of the kitchen, followed closely by Daphne. It didn't take long for them to spot Gus, who was crouched down in the rear of the yard next to the squatting puppy, the dog reminding Brian of a hen laying an egg - except in this case it was more of a goose laying a _golden_ egg.

Brian's mouth fell open as he observed his son's flushed face, bright eyes, and gloved hands, one of which was holding a quart-size, clear Ziploc bag. He could see his nose crinkled up like he normally looked whenever he tried to get him to eat his 'vegtbles' - as his son called them - but Gus remained in his place nevertheless next to Xena. Even though he couldn't smell it from where he stood, Brian couldn't help mirroring his son's expression as he hurried toward him, not caring at the moment that he might wind up being tackled by the perpetrator's father, who was lying nearby. Fortunately, at the moment Tricky was chewing on some gigantic chew bone, so other than a thumping of his tail at Brian's approach, and his ears perking up, he was temporarily diverted from assaulting him like he normally would.

"Daddy! Daddy!" Gus squeaked excitedly. "Look! Xena's pooping!"

Brian likened Gus's enthusiasm to Man walking on the moon as he hurried over to him and Xena. Getting a good whiff of what Xena was up to, he replied, "I see that, Sonny Boy." His nose turned up. "Whatever you do, though, don't touch it!"

"It's okay, Daddy. I got gloves!" His son told him proudly, holding his hands up as if his father couldn't see the bright colored latex practically swallowing his son's small hands. Lying near Gus was the magnifying glass that had accompanied his science kit from last Christmas, just as Brian thought. Silently flogging himself for ever coming up with such a gift, he shook his head in disbelief. "I can't believe that his mothers condoned this. Where are they, anyway?"

Justin shrugged. "Probably helping Emmett out with the wedding arrangements," he suggested, their friend having headed over to the tent a few minutes ago. "You know how much they've all been looking forward to today. Besides, have you ever tried to stop your child from doing something that he was determined to do?"

Brian had to admit he had a point; when Gus got something in his head, there was practically no stopping him, unless it involved personal peril. And with him, the messier, the better. And this couldn't get any messier - or smellier, he decided, as the wind kicked up right at the worst moment. He shook his head in disgust as he gazed down at Xena's 'contribution.' _At least it wasn't the liquid version,_ he thought, but it was bad enough. Yes, it was just the sort of thing that Gus would find fascinating. He sighed, resigned to watching his son do his good deed. "All right, Sonny Boy. But whatever you do, do NOT take those gloves off, you understand?"

Gus nodded, creeping closer in his crouched position as Xena crapped away, oblivious to all the drama she was creating. Finally, the last 'log' plopped down onto the grass, and Xena stood up on all four paws, taking a moment to do a sort of 'cha-cha' motion with her back legs as if she were covering up what she had done with some imaginary ground cover, before she walked away almost proudly, lumbering over to her father as she picked up another chew bone lying nearby. Sitting down next to Tricky, she mimicked him perfectly, placing her two front paws on either side of her bone as she began to nonchalantly gnaw away.

"Gus, maybe you should let your Papa take a look," Brian couldn't help suggesting as he watched Gus pick up the magnifying glass from the grass and position it directly over the pile of poop. Brian glanced over at his fiancé, who flashed him a ' _gee, thanks, I'm honored'_ sort of look. He shrugged. "Well, one thing's for sure; you can certainly tell you and her are related."

"Excuse me?" Justin asked in bewilderment. He couldn't wait to hear THIS explanation, especially considering that Brian hadn't wanted Xena at Britin in the first place.

"Well, look at the shape and symmetry of the finished product, Sunshine, and the nuance of shading. It's very artistic."

"Ha, ha," Justin retorted, as Brian snickered at him.

"No, Daddy, I can do it!" Gus insisted. "I'm in charge of the rings, remember?" he reminded him authoritatively, reaching down to retrieve a familiar metal object that Brian hadn't noticed was there before. He watched as his son picked it up, balancing it in the same hand that was still clutching the large plastic bag.

Brian's mouth hung open in realization. "Hey, those are my sterling silver ice tongs!"

Emmett walked back over from the wedding tent, immediately realizing what was going on. "Oh, THAT'S where they are!" Emmett exclaimed. "I've been looking for those!" He had been on his way to the kitchen to grab some wooden trivets for the hot food that would be arriving, and to retrieve some buffet servers from his utility truck parked out front.

"Well, too late," Justin told him with a laugh. "Now they're jewelry forceps," he replied, effectively preventing Brian from placing his foot in his mouth, and making his well-intentioned little boy upset. "Isn't that right... _Dad_?"

He, Daphne, and Emmett stared over at him, silently daring Brian to say otherwise.

Brian sighed in defeat. "Yeah..." he grumbled. "Now they're ring forceps, all right." He shook his head. "And from now on, I'll be picking up ice cubes with my fingers. More sanitary."

Justin tittered, earning a scowl from his partner, as Gus smiled, happy that his father was in agreement with his plan. "Don't worry, Daddy. I'll use them to pick the ring up, and it'll never touch my fingers. And I'll use my gloves, just like the doctors do."

Brian turned to peer over at Emmett, shaking his head. "I leave him alone for just a little while, and I come out here to find him playing in poop. Where are Mel and Lindsay?" he asked again.

"They're out at the tent," Emmett confirmed, just as Justin had surmised. "They're helping to arrange the flowers with Jennifer. Deb's decorating the reception tables until the food caterers arrive; then she's going to show them where to put all the food and set up the wedding cake."

Gus peered over at Justin. "Papa?"

"Yeah, Buddy?"

"Can you get me a bucket of water and some tweezers?"

"Uhh..." Justin glanced over at Brian, wondering what his reaction would be. It was obvious what Gus wanted it for, and that he had no intention on stopping now.

Brian rubbed his face with his hand; he suspected what that meant, and he didn't even want to go there. "Gus, you don't need a bucket of water," he tried to gently but firmly suggest in his best Obi-wan voice, but he soon found out that a certain little boy had already been turned to the dark side.

Gus's eyes flashed as his mouth turned into a pout. "Yes, I do, Daddy!" he insisted. "I'll need it to take the ring out so it can be washed. That's what Mommy does to clean out my shells out after I pick them up on the beach," he explained as if it were the most logical thing in the world. "And I need the tweezers so I can pick it out of the poop." He leaned over the first specimen then to examine it, deftly using the tongs to turn the first part over like it was a steak being grilled, holding it up in front of him in a perfect Sherlock Holmes imitation. "Not in this one," he reported solemnly to the crowd as he put it back down. "But don't worry, Daddy; there're two more," he told his father.

Brian groaned. He had to admit he had sired a smart little fucker, despite his reservations, but he would have _never_ imagined this. Deciding he had best just let him do what he was so intent on doing, he peered over at Emmett. "Emmy Lou, you heard the boy. Go get some tweezers out of the half-bathroom drawer downstairs, and fetch a pail of water from the kitchen. Bucket's under the sink."

Emmett glared at him. "Who do I look like?" he protested. "Jack...or Jill?"

"Definitely Jill," Brian quipped with a smirk, taking in his friend's shiny, dark gray pleather pants and his silk, silver and white pin-striped, long-sleeved shirt.

Emmett appeared insulted as he crossed his hands over his chest. "Well, if it's all the same to you, I'd rather stay and watch. It's not every day I get to witness Brian Kinney having to put up with a load of sh.."

Brian quickly interrupted him as Gus peered up at them curiously; as usual, he wasn't missing anything. "I put up with it every day I'm around you and the others," Brian countered as Emmett rolled his eyes at him. "Did you not say that you were our event planner?"

"Well...yeah...but what does that have to do with this?" He wrinkled his nose as the wind shifted slightly in his direction, and he got a good whiff of Xena's 'contribution.'

"Well, I know a certain someone who won't get married until he knows that ring is safe and sound, whether it gets used or not. So do what I ask, or the wedding isn't going to happen, and your chocolate fountain will look like a poor rendition of Cher's wig on a bad hair day."

Emmett frowned momentarily, trying to envision such a picture, before he gave up and just shook his head. "Yes, my Lord," he said mockingly as he gave Brian a bow, causing Daphne and Justin to giggle.

Brian nodded. "That's more like it," he decided with a smirk. Emmett huffed and fixed a death glare on him before he turned around and headed back toward the house, emerging about a minute later with the requested items. "Here you go, Doctor," he told Gus, backing away as another pungent whiff accosted him. "Uh...I'll just observe from over there," he told the little boy.

Gus was too focused on his work to pay him much mind as he held the next piece up for inspection. "Daddy! Look at what I see!" He shouted excitedly after a few moments.

Everyone held their breath. "You found the ring?" Justin asked hopefully. Even though he knew Brian wouldn't be caught dead wearing it at the ceremony, it still meant a lot to him.

"No, not that," Gus reported to their surprise. "But I can see some of Xena's dog food in her poop! Neat!"

Brian couldn't believe this was his son. How did Gus wind up being fascinating by such grotesque stuff? With HIS penchant for dirty, slimy, stinky things, he feared he might just grow up to be a mortician...or even worse, find himself attracted to someone like the clients he constantly had to schmooze in order to win their business. He had long ago given up his preferred method of persuasion - fucking the shit out of them in one of the bathroom stalls when they prevaricated over their decision - but they were definitely slimy, stinky, and grotesque to the nth degree in their lack of professionalism - and they were also full of shit. "Gus..." he began.

He winced as his son let out a squeal akin to Theodore when he discovered a long-lost opera album he had never heard of before at one of the local flea markets. "What?"

"I've got it! I've got it!" Gus announced, standing up with the tweezers in his hand and doing a happy dance; he was soon joined by Tricky, who twirled around and around and barked, even though he had no idea whatsoever why his master was so joyfully dancing around in a circle. Xena, on the other hand, merely perked her eyes up and wagged her tail briefly before settling back down to return to her chew toy.

"Don't even think about it!" Brian growled as Tricky turned to head in his direction. "Come any closer, and I'll get the lopping shears. You'll wind up as a Rhodesian Ridgeback in no time."

Justin managed to grab Tricky's collar, just before he could reach his partner. He looked around helplessly, wondering what to do with him; he obviously couldn't let him loose. He was so busy keeping Tricky under control that for a moment he didn't realize exactly what had happened. When he did, however, his face broke out into a big smile. "You did it, Gus! You found your Daddy's ring! I'm so proud of you!"

"Yeah, Sonny Boy," Brian spoke up. "I'm...proud of you, too." He stumbled over the word 'proud.' Not that he wasn't always impressed with his son's ingenuity and boldness. It was just hard to be proud of someone who liked to dig around in dog shit. Nonetheless, his son smiled back at him with pleasure, not detecting the slightest hiccup in his father's praise.

"Emmett, can you..." Brian started to say tentatively.

"No, way!" his friend told him, holding up his hands defensively as he immediately figured out what was coming next. "It's _your_ ring! I'm not going anywhere near it. I'm just the ringmaster for the wedding. And he's YOUR son, not mine."

Brian huffed. "I wasn't going to ask you to take the ring," he told him, rolling his eyes. "I want you to take the mutt mountain and his sidekick out to the fenced in part of the backyard."

Emmett raised his eyebrows expectantly. "Say the magic word."

Brian sighed wearily, grimacing slightly. "Please," he said through gritted teeth.

Emmett smiled smugly as Justin grinned over at him. "That's better," he told him, walking over to pick Tricky's leash up from the ground nearby. Heading over to where the dog was temporarily restrained, he latched the collar to the leash before Justin felt safe enough to release him.

"Be careful," he warned Emmett. "He's as strong as a Mack truck."

Emmett eyed him skeptically, until he almost fell down when the dog lurched forward unexpectedly. "I...I can see that," he choked out. He peered over at Brian and grinned at him. "Oh, I could so take advantage of this opportunity right now."

"And oh, I can so see you lying flat on your back after I punch you out for letting him loose."

"Brian!"

"Well, he started it!" Brian pointed out with a shrug. He sighed as Justin stared over at him pointedly. He turned back to their friend, bestowing a false smile on him. "Mr. Honeycutt, would you _please_ take Cujo and his demon spawn out to the fenced-in part of the backyard? You _do_ want to see a wedding take place, right? You could get a lot of publicity out of this. I can make it happen. Or I can _not_ make it happen."

Daphne giggled, enjoying herself immensely, while Jusitn rolled his eyes at his partner. "Brian! That is not the way to do it," he scolded him. "Play nice."

"Oh, never mind," Emmett muttered. "Come on, Fella. I'll take you away from the Big, Bad Wolf. It's for the best, trust me." On the way toward the back gate, Emmett retrieved Xena's leash as well to hook it onto her collar and gently prod her onto her feet. Xena took a moment to scoop up her chew bone before the two dogs trotted toward the back of the yard, Emmett holding on for dear life as he was dragged along behind them.

Brian sighed in relief as he focused his attention back on his son, who used the tweezers to plop the soiled, stinky ring into the bucket of water, watching as it dropped like a lead balloon down to the bottom. "Your ring was really dirty, Daddy," he observed, amazed by the way the water was rapidly changing color.

"Gee, I'm so glad to hear that, Sonny Boy," Brian replied dryly. He and Justin walked over to his son, who was trying to take his gloves off.

"Gus, if you're going to play some more with that ring, keep those gloves on," his father instructed. "You will never get that smell off your hands if you don't."

"I'm going to go tell Mommy and Momma what I did!" he replied eagerly; before Brian could stop him, his son had whirled around and was running toward the wedding tent located several yards away, still wearing his brightly colored gloves. "Gus!" he shouted, but his son ignored him, hell bent on telling everyone about his successful adventure.

"I'll go keep an eye on him," Daphne offered; Justin nodded at her gratefully as she hurried to catch up with him.

"Oh, great. Mel's going to hold this over my head for the rest of my life now," Brian grumbled. "He may never get that stink off him, even after a thousand baths. Tell Emmett to spread a lot of potpourri around before the ceremony."

Justin chuckled. "Stop being such a drama queen! He was wearing gloves. I don't think he got any on him," he assured him. "And it wasn't your fault, Brian," he told him softly. "It was no one's fault, really." He was relieved that the ring had been retrieved, but still a little melancholy over the fact that it wasn't going to be used for the ceremony. He had dreamed so long of putting that ring on Brian's finger as they were wed. But he pushed that thought aside as he turned his attention back to his partner, reminding himself what he had told him before. He had meant it; the important part was that they would be standing side-by-side as they recited their vows in front of their friends and family, who would be there to witness their joy. And by the end of the day he would officially be Justin Taylor-Kinney. He smiled at the thought.

"What?"

Justin lifted his eyebrows. "Hmmm?"

"What are you smiling at?"

Justin eyed him sheepishly. "I was just thinking about our wedding this afternoon...and my new name."

Brian turned to grasp his fiancé by the upper arms. "Yeah...about that name...Justin Taylor-Kinney, huh? Don't you think that's a mouthful? You're establishing a name now in your own right as an artist. You sure you want to change it professionally? We can always just do it legally."

But Justin shook his head. "No."

Brian shook his head in amusement. "Yeah...I kind of thought that would be your answer," he replied softly. "Stubborn romanticist."

Justin shrugged, not denying it. "You don't have to, you know."

"I don't have to what?"

"Change your name," Justin told him. "I know how much name recognition means in advertising. You can keep it the way it is." He paused. "It's just a name."

Brian stared into his eyes. "Like my wedding ring is just another ring?"

Justin half-grinned, caught. "Touché. Okay, so it's not just a name. But I would still understand if you didn't want to."

Brian curled his lips under. "If I can stand to watch my son pluck my wedding ring out of a piece of shit, I think I can handle adding 'Taylor' to my last name."

Justin snorted at the comparison as Brian chuckled. "Thanks...I think."

Brian grinned then, leaning closer so that they were almost touching nose-to-nose. "No backing out now, Sunshine. Once I put my support behind something, I'm in it for the long haul. Ring or no ring...we're getting married this afternoon, Justin Taylor-Kinney."

Justin flushed at the sound, turning his head to peer down into the dirty bucket; despite the cloudiness, he could still make out Brian's wedding ring shining at the bottom like an undiscovered pearl in the depths of the sea. He eyed it a little regretfully like he was abandoning some long-lost friend before he peered back up at his partner. "Me, too," he whispered sincerely. "I can't wait to get married to you." He blinked, his eyes glistening slightly. "I love your ring, Brian," he admitted. "And I love mine. But I love YOU more."

"Right answer," Brian told him with a smile, just before they kissed.

"Hey!"

The two men turned to see Daphne staring over at them. _How did she always do that?_ Brian wondered. He hadn't even heard her come back.

"Your little Dick Tracy is telling everyone how he found the ring," she reported.

Justin grinned over at his friend. "Yeah, I'm not surprised. He's pretty proud of his discovery. It's still taking a bath at the moment." He glanced down at the bucket.

Daphne nodded in understanding, figuring the ring could use all the soaking it could get. "Well, now that that's over, you have a wedding to get ready for. Michael just got here," she told them, having had that piece of information relayed to her through a text that he had sent his mother. "He's waiting for you upstairs," she told Brian as she looked over at her long-time best friend. "I have your suit laid out on the bed upstairs, Justin. So get both of your asses in gear!"

"Yes, Dear," Brian replied in a falsetto voice. "Sunshine, you take your bossy maid of honor back to the house with you. I'm going to check and make sure everything's on track over at the tent first."

"Emmett can handle that; you know he won't let us down," Justin replied as he turned to begin heading over to Daphne.

"Probably," Brian conceded. "But just humor me. I have a reputation to uphold here. And I need to scrounge up Indiana Jones; he needs to take a bath and get ready, too."

Justin grinned with a nod. "Well, don't take too long, or I'll send Daphne back out to find you."

"A fate worse than death," Brian intoned. "I'll be quick; scout's honor."

"There is NO way you were _ever_ a Boy Scout, Kinney."

"No, I wasn't...but just think of all the fuckable boys that got passed over as a result. Get going, Sunshine."

Justin chuckled, nodding again as he turned to follow Daphne back to the house. Brian watched them go through the back door several seconds later before he turned to study his ring still lying at the bottom of the stinky, cloudy water. He gazed at it thoughtfully for several moments before he pulled out his cellphone to punch in a pre-assigned number.

The phone was answered on the first ring. "Why aren't you getting dressed?"

"Shit! Is everyone my damn mother today?"

"Just making sure you aren't trying to weasel out of it."

"You would think that Justin is your boss instead of me."

"It pays to always be in good graces with the only man who is able to control you," Cynthia quipped with a smile.

"Where are you?"

"On the way. Should be there in about ten minutes. Why?"

"I need you to do something for me." He proceeded to give her instructions for the next minute or so before asking, "Think you can handle it?"

Cynthia smiled. "Don't I always take care of you?"

Brian snorted. "Hurry up," he told her, disconnecting the call before she could reply.

"Brian!"

He turned to peer up at the open, second-floor window of his and Justin's bedroom. "What?"

"Get up here! With YOUR preening ritual, you'll need every minute to get ready."

"Very funny, Mikey."

"Who's laughing? Come on, you're wasting time!"

Brian rolled his eyes. "You're as bad as Justin's maid of honor guard dog. Okay," he told him. "You can go and run my bath, then."

Michael shook his head in exasperation. "You wouldn't be caught dead in a bathtub; too hard to fuck in," he told him as Brian rolled his tongue into his cheek. "Come on! Ma will kill us if you run late for your wedding."

"Sheesh, you're really taking your duties seriously. But I don't think I want to risk THAT."

"No, you don't," his friend warned him as Brian smiled up at him. "Now get your scrawny ass in here and start getting ready!" He laughed as Brian glared up at him.

"You've been talking to Justin. You had better NOT use that line in the next issue of Rage, or Rage will be eliminating Zephyr in the edition immediately after that."

Michael laughed. "So noted. Now get in here."

Brian nodded. "I will as soon as I go get Gus; he needs to get ready, too. But do me a favor."

"What?"

"Go into his room and make sure the ring bearer pillow is on his dresser where I left it. I wouldn't put it past Tricky or Xena to have it shredded into pieces by now."

Michael laughed. "Yeah, I heard about Spiderman. And here I thought he was invincible! Don't worry; I'll take care of it."

Brian nodded. "Thanks, Mikey," he replied, satisfied when his best friend slid the window back down and turned away to carry out his wishes. "Not much time," he murmured, quickly getting to work.


	10. Thrice the Risk?

_he boys get ready for their ceremony after finding the perfect dog sitter for their rambunctious pooches. Or is she?_

"Where IS he?" Justin lamented as he stood in front of the mirror thirty minutes later, holding up one tie after the other to try and match his tailored, navy suit. Why had he waited until NOW to try and figure this out? And why was his hair sticking up in places it shouldn't be? "And look at my hair! Why didn't I get it cut? It's way too long! Aaargh!" He threw his hands up in disgust as he heard Daphne sigh behind him.

"Will you chill, for God's sake?" she groused, shaking her head in exasperation. "You are totally weirded out right now, Justin! Everything's going to be fine!"

"Oh, yeah? Well, in case you haven't noticed, Daphne, one of the grooms is missing! And so is the ring bearer! Not to mention the fucking ring!"

"Not technically," she reminded him. "It's not missing anymore. Just...temporarily out of commission." Daphne turned her friend around to face her. "Listen to me, okay? That's why you shouldn't be worried. I'm sure he's with Gus right now. Something must have just held them up for a few minutes. Michael said he talked to him a little while ago, and he mentioned he was going to go get Gus. So stop queening out!" she scolded him, reaching up to brush some hair out of his eyes. "Take a deep breath," she ordered. "Hold it...and then let it out."

Justin rolled his eyes, but did as she commanded, taking a deep breath and then slowly expelling it. Despite his skepticism, he had to admit it _did_ release some of his tension. "I know you're right," he finally admitted. "It's just...we've taken so long to get to this point - and had so many things go wrong - that I'm a little skittish, I guess."

Daphne nodded with a sympathetic smile. "You're allowed to be nervous; _all_ grooms are on their wedding day. But stop looking for problems that aren't there. That man loves you. And he always does what he says, doesn't he?"

Justin nodded. "Yeah..."

"So you have nothing to worry about. So stop it right now, Justin!"

Justin eyed her sheepishly. "Okay. You're right. I just wish he would get here." He sighed, holding up two ties against his suit jacket which was on a hanger, waiting to be worn soon. "Which one goes better with this?" he asked her, gnawing on his bottom lip in indecision. He always was a horrible judge of taste when it came to his own clothes. He had definitely not inherited Brian's sense of fashion.

"The royal blue one; it brings out the color of your eyes."

Justin whirled around to see his fiancé leaning against the doorway, and let out a huge sigh of relief. Gus was standing next to him, his small hand grasping his father's. He seemed none the worse for wear, considering a short while ago he had spent a great deal of time on his hands and knees, searching for the ring for his father. "Thank God!" he exclaimed; still clutching the ties in his left hand, he placed both of his hands on his hips in agitation. "What have you been doing for the last thirty minutes? The tent wasn't _that_ far away."

"Well, unless you've forgotten, Sunshine, I had to do something with that disgusting pail of water that our little detective here left...with my ring in it, as you might recall."

Justin shook his head skeptically. "There's no way you touched any part of that bucket, Brian. Or the ring, either."

"You got _that_ right. I had Emmy Lou do it. He's in charge of the wedding, not me."

"Tell me you didn't."

"But, Daddy..." Gus began to protest, only to receive a pointed look from his father that Justin did not understand. He heard Gus falter before he added, "I mean, yeah...Daddy didn't touch it. It's like he said. Emmy Lou moved it for him." That caused Brian to chuckle.

"Brian! See what you're teaching him?" He shrugged as Justin sighed. He directed his next words to Brian's son. "His name is Emmett, Gus. So what did he do with it?" he asked his partner.

"The stinky water that smelled like Cujo's breath? What do you _think_ he did with it? He threw it in the creek out back where it belongs. I tried to get him to include the little furry crapper, too, but he drew the line there."

Justin huffed. "That 'crapper' has a name, you know."

"Yeah...I can think of several I could use for her: trash compactor, metal mouth, wedding wrecker...I could go on. She _would_ have to inherit your appetite."

"I'll have you know I don't have pica," Justin protested indignantly. "I eat REAL food, not metal objects."

"Really? I'm not sure I would count Captain Crunch and Double-Stuffed Oreos ® as real food."

"I LOVE Double-Stuffed Oreos®!" Gus piped up as Justin grinned over at him smugly with an ' _he's SO my son, not yours'_ sort of look.

Brian rolled his eyes. "Of course you do. Why not?" He threw up his hands in defeat. "Well, everything's taken care of, Sunshine. None of the guests will question now the odd choice of potpourri they would have been privy to at our ceremony..." He snickered. "Emphasis on the _privy_ part _._ "

Daphne giggled beside him as Justin tried to ignore the joke. "What about the ring? I know there's no way that YOU would touch it."

Brian shuddered. "You got THAT right. Since Gus seemed so enamored of his mission earlier, I let him pluck it out of the bucket with his super-duper, impenetrable gloves. It's tucked securely away now, out of the eyes of metal-eating carnivores." That comment evoked a giggle from Gus as he looked up at his father, making Justin furrow his brow.

"But what did you do with it?"

Gus opened his mouth, but shut it as his father answered instead. "Justin, do you really want to talk about some filthy ring right now? Can't we concentrate on something more pleasant...like our bridal shower?"

Justin laughed. "Bridal shower?"

"Yeah...You're the bride, and it's customary for the bride to have a shower...with the groom. Right now."

Justin huffed. "I am NOT the bride, Kinney." He had to grin a little at Brian's little-boy expression, however. "Well, I guess it's bad luck to trample on tradition," he decided. "Besides, I think it's very important to be clean before you put on your wedding suit." Brian grinned.

"Papa?"

"Yeah, Buddy?" Justin asked, his voice softening as he peered down at the little boy who - like his father - had stolen his heart so long ago.

"Can I just stay dirty? I had a bath last night."

Justin laughed. "I think that would be okay," he told him with a smile. "Besides, I think the shower is only big enough for your father and me."

"You and Daddy are always so clean," Gus observed. "You take a lot of showers together."

Justin turned a little red as Brian chuckled, squatting down so he was level with his son. "We really enjoy taking showers, Sonny Boy," he told him, leering over at his accomplice. He glanced up as Michael appeared in the doorway. "Mikey! Just the man I needed," he told him as he stood back up. "Can you take Gus to his room and help him get dressed?" .

"Sure," he told him as he smiled over at Gus. "Come on, Gus. I'll help you get ready, so your Daddy and Papa can take their shower, okay?"

Gus nodded. "Okay." He turned to go just as Michael thought of something and turned back around.

"Wait, I almost forgot!" He reached inside his pocket to retrieve an object, clutching it in his closed hand. "Here's the ring you wanted, Brian."

Brian grinned. "You're a good man, Mikey. I'll take good care of it," he promised as Michael handed it to him.

"You'd better," Michael warned him solemnly.

Justin rolled his eyes as he got a good look at it. He had been thinking Brian would probably use his old college ring for the ceremony, or something similar. "Really, Brian? His Captain Astro ring?"

"Well, we don't have a Rage ring. And I AM your superhero, right?"

"Always, you big, strapping galoot."

Brian harumphed. "Well, you got the big and strapping part right, at least." He turned to his son. "Here it is, Gus. This is Daddy's ring that he's going to use for getting hitched to the young'n over here." He snickered as Justin smacked him on the arm in reaction. "Take good care of it, or Mikey will never speak to me again." He winked at his son, who attempted to wink back at him; only it looked more like Gus had something stuck in his eye instead.

"I will, Daddy," he told him with a giggle.

Justin peered over at him curiously, thinking that he was some outsider to an inside joke, as Gus turned and headed down the hallway with Michael toward his room, refocusing his attention back on his partner as Brian reached for his hand.

"Now if you'll excuse us, Daphne, Justin and I need to get cleaned up - after we get dirty first." He leered at his partner, making both him _and_ his maid of honor blush.

"I would expect nothing less," she responded dryly. Grinning, she turned to go. "I'm sure you can get dressed on your own now, Justin," she told her friend. "Or should I say _undressed_ , in your case. I have to go start getting ready myself." She sighed with a dreamy expression on her face. "Just think...this is your last fuck before you become a married man," she teased him.

"How do you know it'll be just one?" Brian countered. "He's like Lay's potato chips."

Daphne tittered. "Well, you certainly have the right brand." Chuckling, she turned to go.

"Daph, wait!" Justin called out to her.

She stopped to turn back around. "Yeah?"

"I have something for you," he told her, as he walked over to the dresser and pulled something out of the top drawer. Grasping it in his hand, he grinned. "Call it a gift for my maid of honor," he explained as he held it out to her.

Daphne laughed as she realized what it was. "Oh, my God! Don't tell me this is the SAME one?"

Justin shook his head ruefully as he tied the colorful, braided bracelet around her wrist. "No," he admitted. "But it reminded me of that day anyway...and how much you mean to me."

"As I recall, I had to pay for those bracelets," she reminded him. "So this is the least you can do now. And I do mean _least_. This must have set you back, what? Ten bucks?"

"Twenty," he told her with a grin. "You have to count for inflation." He raised the sleeve of his tee-shirt to expose an identical bracelet on his right wrist. "I'll be wearing mine at the ceremony under my suit," he revealed. "Friends forever?" he whispered.

Eyes glistening, she nodded. "Forever," she whispered back as Justin gently gripped her upper arms and leaned in to kiss her on the cheek. She sniffled, quickly wiping the moisture from her cheeks in embarrassment. "I have to get going," she told him as he nodded back at her. "See you outside?" He nodded again as she warned him, "And don't be late!" She peered over pointedly at Brian, even though the statement was directed to her friend.

Brian held up his hands. "I'll do my best to limit it to one blow job and one fuck in the shower."

"Thanks," she replied dryly. "Your wedding guests will appreciate it, I'm sure." Brian gifted her with one of his trademark smirks as she shook her head in amusement. "One hour," she commanded. "I expect both of you outside by the back door, ready to go."

"Yes, ma'am," Justin told her with a grin as she gave him a brief wave and finally exited the room, heading down the hallway toward her guest room. He squeaked as Brian suddenly grabbed his wrist and began to pull him toward the bathroom.

"Brian!" He laughed, desperately trying to hold onto his wedding attire as he was dragged toward the bathroom. "You'll wrinkle my suit!"

Now it was Brian's turn to laugh. "Oh, NOW you worry about getting your clothes wrinkled!" He reached over and plucked the hanger of clothes and tie out of his hands before tossing it deftly down onto the bed. "There; problem solved," he told him matter-of-factly. "Now you can solve _my_ problem." His eyes drifted down to point out exactly where his problem was as he waggled his eyebrows at him meaningfully.

Justin giggled. "That is such a cheesy line...especially coming from the genius of Pittsburgh's advertising world."

Brian curled his lips under playfully as he suddenly pulled Justin's body flush with his, sliding his arms around his partner's back to hold him tightly against him. He heard Justin gasp softly at the contact; even through their clothing, it was like an electrical current flowing between them. "Well, I've always preferred the tactile approach, rather than masking it with words. Speech is so overrated, anyway."

Justin eyed him thoughtfully, his hands resting on either side of Brian's neck. "I couldn't agree with you more," he told him solemnly. "Except for this afternoon," he added.

Brian frowned. "This afternoon?"

His partner nodded. "Yeah...during our wedding," he told him softly, almost embarrassed. But he didn't care. As much as he knew Brian loved him - as much as he loved HIM in return - he still longed to hear the words his fiancé would say this afternoon. "You sure you don't want to give me a hint?" he asked, batting his baby blues, and gazing hopefully into his eyes.

Brian smirked. "Nice try, Sunshine. But do you really want to know what I'm going to say before I say it?"

Justin thought about that. _Did he?_ Brian had been extremely secretive about exactly what his words would be during the ceremony; there had been no way he would have been content with the _'for better or worse, until death us do part,'_ Elizabethan tripe. No, he had insisted on the two of them writing their own vows. Justin had found it both romantic but also scary in a way. Brian Kinney, composing his own marriage vows? Well, one thing was for certain: they would no doubt be unique - and highly unconventional. "No," he finally decided. "I guess I don't."

Brian nodded, rolling his tongue into his cheek. "Well, there IS one thing we can practice before the ceremony, though."

Justin grinned. "Really? Whatever could THAT be, I wonder?"

Brian's smile widened in reaction. "You're a smart man. Let's go into the bathroom, and it'll come to you."

Justin grinned. "I hate to disappoint you, Brian, but we will not be fucking during our wedding ceremony."

Brian laughed. "Well, even I would draw the line there; especially with my impressionable son present. But we CAN practice the _'and now you may kiss the groom'_ part, at least."

Justin grinned as the two of them turned to proceed toward the bathroom, knowing all along that was what Brian had meant. "You can never get enough practice with that," he agreed, as they walked into their master bathroom and shut the door, their outfits lying side-by-side on the bed.

* * *

 _Thirty minutes until the ceremony...backyard_

"I can't thank you enough, Sandra," Justin told his neighbor as they stood near the fenced in area of Britin presently holding three dogs now: Sadie, Xena, and Tricky. Their neighbor - whether out of a sense of guilt or just wanting to be helpful - had offered to watch the three dogs, including her own, while the wedding ceremony and subsequent reception were taking place. Thankfully, Sadie had promptly been spayed after delivering her recent puppies, so there thankfully there was no chance of a repeat performance between the two parents this time.

Justin watched in amusement as the three became reacquainted; it was obvious there was still a bond between the three. It was touching in a way to see how happy the three seemed together. He smiled at them before turning his attention back to his neighbor. "We really appreciate you doing this."

She shook her head. "It's the least I can do after what happened," she assured him, looking a little embarrassed as she confirmed his suspicions about her motives. She smiled at him. "You look very handsome in your suit, Justin. Both of you," she added, peering over at Brian, who was standing several yards away, talking with some of their guests.

Justin blushed slightly at the praise. "Thank you," he told her. He glanced once more over at the dogs, confident that they were in good hands. "Well, I'd better get going; the ceremony will be starting soon."

She nodded. "Save me a piece of that cheesecake you were telling me about!" she requested. "It sounds divine!"

Justin smiled with a nod. "I will," he promised. "See you later."

"And don't worry!" she called out to him as he began to walk away. "Everything will be fine." She patted Xena's head affectionately. "You are just too cute! Look how much you're grown!" she exclaimed at the puppy as Justin headed toward his fiancé, assured that she would keep a close eye on all of them.

"Papa!" Gus cried out as he came running up to them with Mel and Lindsay following closely behind, trying to catch up; he was wearing an exact, smaller replica of his and Brian's suits, complete with a miniature cummerbund and a white rose boutonniere on his chest. Justin hadn't even been aware that Dolce Gabbana made designer children's suits; he suspected that Brian had been able to influence his local tailor to help make Gus's custom outfit, and he wondered where in the world he would ever have reason to wear it again, but he had to admit he looked amazing in it, and it only made him realize how much the child was looking more and more like his father every day.

"Hey, Buddy!" he greeted him with a warm smile. He noticed Gus was carrying the ring bearer's pillow, but it was presently bare. "Where're the rings, Gus?" After what had happened to Brian's, he didn't want to take the chance that something would happen to his.

Gus stole a glance over at his father, who was silently watching their interaction with great interest. "Uh...they're in my pocket, Papa," he told him, patting his left jacket pocket. "Daddy thought it was a good idea to keep them in there until it's time for me to bring them to you."

"Yeah," his father told Justin with a nod. "After what happened yesterday, I thought it was a little more secure, especially with my son's tendency to use his pillow as a yo-yo."

Justin laughed, remembering how Gus had been swinging the object back and forth yesterday. "Yeah...good idea," he decided. He turned to the little boy as Mel and Lindsay joined them. "You remember what to do, right?"

Gus nodded, his eyes lighting up as he thought about the important role he would play. He had been so excited to find out that at last he would get to do what his father had practiced with him so long ago when he had first been offered the job. "Uh, huh. I wait until the min'ster says, "Who wants the rings?" and then I run down to him and hold them up so you and Daddy can put them on your fingers."

Brian smiled in approval. "That's perfect," he told him, affectionately ruffling the top of his head. "But no running down the aisle, okay? I promise your Papa that I won't back out if you take a little longer to get to us."

"Very funny; you'd better not," Justin told him as Brian grinned back at him. Just then, the strands of a string quartet began to play from underneath the tent, Emmett's signal to them that they should take their places and get ready. Justin's heart began to race in anticipation. "I think this is it," he told everyone, taking a deep breath.

Brian nodded solemnly. "Yep. The march to the guillotine." He grunted as Justin jabbed him in the stomach. "Hey! I'm not the fucking Pillsbury Doughboy, okay?" he groused, but there was no sting in his voice as Justin smirked at him.

Lindsay sighed. "Brian...language?"

"Oh, my mistake," Justin told him "You're right. You're more like the Lucky Charms Leprechaun."

Brian frowned as Gus exclaimed, "I know who that is! I _love_ that cereal! Especially the green and pink ones."

"The marshmallows," Lindsay explained as Brian gave his son a quizzical look.

"Ahh," he responded in understanding. He turned to his fiancé to ask, "I know I'm going to regret this, but exactly WHY am I like the Lucky Charms Leprechaun?"

"I know, I know!" Daphne interjected as she interrupted them. Justin grinned, not surprised she would make the connection so quickly. "Go right ahead," he told her as she nodded.

"It's because you're magically delicious, Brian," she told him with a chuckle.

Brian smirked, somehow liking that comparison. "Well, you got _part_ of that right," he told him as the din of conversation under the tent became more pronounced, signaling that the proverbial natives were becoming restless for the grooms' appearances. "But I am NO 'leprechaun;' at least not where it counts."

"Well, I'll go along with that," Justin concurred.

Mel cleared her throat as Ted and Blake walked over, having just arrived after encountering some unexpected heavy traffic. "Quaint," she muttered. "Everything always has to have the same theme with you, doesn't it? Did you forget about your son here, who is like a sponge when he's around you? Do you know that after you kept referring to your neighbor's dog as a bitch, the next time Gus saw a pregnant woman at the mall, he asked me if she was called a bitch, too?" She shook her head in disgust. "Way to go, Brian!" She sighed wearily as everyone couldn't help bursting out laughing. "It's not funny!" she protested.

She turned to her son. "Gus, remember what I told you. Calling pregnant women bitches is not nice...and you do NOT call them that. That is only for female dogs, not women. And don't you say a word," she reprimanded Brian who had opened his mouth, presumably to muddy the waters even more, but then shut it.

Brian hid his amusement. He realized he _did_ had a responsibility to his son to help him to grow up to respect both men and women, hetero and homo, despite the fact that homophobes could be real bigots, and women _could_ be real bitches. But that would be for Gus to judge individually. The last thing he wanted was for his son to be raised with any preconceived notions. Gritting his teeth, his told his son, "She's right, Sonny Boy. Only female dogs are called that, okay? That is NOT a polite thing to call women."

Gus nodded, his and his father's conversation abruptly halted as Emmett came rushing up to them, followed by JR being held aloft by her father; she was dressed in a royal blue flower girl dress with a satiny white bow, white hose, and matching, white, shiny, patent leather shoes. There was a small, intricately braided wreath of baby's breath and miniature ivory-colored roses woven into her headband, which was adorning her wavy, brown hair.

Emmett cried out impatiently, "Did you not hear the music playing? The two moms are already seated, and now I need the ring bearer and the flower girl! And then Michael and Daphne! Let's go!" he hurriedly waved his hand at them. "You're going to make me straight before this ceremony is over!" he told them. "Now hurry up!" Like the white rabbit in _Alice in Wonderland_ , he turned and began to rush back toward the tent, muttering about everyone being late, before he noticed no one was following him. "Are you all deaf?" he asked them as he turned around to see them just standing there. "I have a tent full of people, and my dessert melting! What part of hurry up did you not understand?"

Justin and Daphne giggled. "Okay, okay, Em," Justin told his friend. "Don't worry; we're right behind you. Go tell the musicians we'll be right there."

Shaking his head in consternation, Emmett peered back at the group one last time before nodding, still grumbling as he turned to head back to the tent located several yards away.

"We'd better go find a seat," Ted told Blake. "We'll see all of you after the ceremony." Taking his boyfriend's hand, the two hurried toward the tent, right on Emmett's heels.

"You heard the man," Michael told them, having assured their friend he would try to hurry the two grooms along. "Let's get going before he has a coronary." He paused, however, to ask everyone, "Have you seen my Honey Bun here?" A proud smile appeared on his face. "Isn't she the most beautiful girl you've ever seen?" He rubbed his nose against JR's chest, blowing raspberries against her tummy as she squirmed and giggled in reaction.

"Shoot me now," Brian drolled, rolling his eyes as Gus wrinkled his nose in distaste over the overt display of PDA. Justin had to grin; _like father, like son,_ he couldn't help thinking. He decided to take a more diplomatic approach, however.

"You look beautiful, honey," he told her as she beamed over at him. "You and Gus are going to make a stunning couple walking down the aisle." He peered over at his partner. " _Almost_ as stunning as the grooms." He laughed softly as Brian scowled at him. "Come on, groom. We have a wedding to attend." He pulled gently on Brian's wrist.

"Do I have to? Maybe Mikey can stand in for me absentia."

"I think not," was the brusque reply as Justin looked over at Michael. "No offense," he told him. "But when it would come to the 'y _ou may kiss the groom now_ ' part, it would be more like kissing my brother."

Brian snickered. "Well, I can see your point there," he told Justin. "Oh, don't go getting your jockstrap out of sorts, Mikey," he told his best friend, who appeared insulted. "It's just when it comes to _my_ skills, there's no comparison."

"Or your humility," Michael retorted as Brian rolled his lips under. He shook his head. "Come on, Gus. It's time for you and my little honey bun here to do your thing. You ready?"

Gus nodded shyly, suddenly feeling nervous now that his grand appearance was imminent, there were so many people waiting for them! "Are you coming, Daddy?"

"You bet, Sonny Boy," his father assured him with a smile. "Your papa and I will be right there."

Gus nodded as Michael reached over to take his hand and lead him toward the tent, the soft strains of the quartet filtering toward them. "See you in a few," Michael told the two men softly as they nodded back at him and the trio walked away along with the others, leaving them alone briefly.

The two partners turned to face each other in an unspoken command, their hands reaching to clasp each other's between them. "Wow," Justin murmured as it all began to hit him. This was really going to happen. Soon they would be walking down the aisle under that tent, all the people they cared about and who had been with them throughout their journey watching them recite their custom-made vows as they expressed their commitment to each other. In a way, though, they had been committed for a long time; this was just a confirmation of that bond and their love.

Brian smiled tenderly at him, hearing so much emotion in that one, small word. "Yeah...guess there's no backing out now."

"There'd better not be," Justin warned him, his eyes twinkling back at him. He increased the pressure of his grip slightly for emphasis. "You're stuck with me now, Kinney."

Brian's face dissolved into something warmer as he pulled him into his arms, temporarily ignoring the music playing nearby. "I could think of worse things," he murmured with a smile.

"Gee, so romantic," Justin replied indignantly, but there was a smile belying his words. He laughed as he lifted his head toward the tent to see Emmett ushering JR, Gus, and Michael toward the aisle before gesturing wildly at the two men as if he were about to, indeed, have a heart attack. "For Emmett's sake - and on behalf of all gay boys everywhere - we'd better get going," he urged him.

Brian grinned. "I'm all yours, Sunshine. Let's do this."

Justin's smile widened as he nodded. Brian leaned over to give him a brief but thorough kiss, throwing a little tongue in for good measure, before he pulled back, still holding Justin in his arms. "That's just a warmup for later," he told him, his voice low and velvety and sending a shiver up his partner's spine.

Taking a moment to push back the hair from Justin's eyes, Brian once more took his fiance's hand as they finally headed toward the tent.


	11. The Real Superhero Ring

_Amidst the canine and human crowd, the two men are finally wed with some surprises along the way._

Debbie's face threatened to split wide open from the huge smile on her face, her eyes tearing up as she watched her two grandchildren walking down the aisle toward the front. Well, 'walking' was perhaps the wrong term. It appeared more like JR was pulling a reluctant Gus along, her grip on his hand threatening to cut off his circulation. Gus had a grimace on his face as she skipped along beside him while he tried his best to keep up, tugging periodically on his tie that felt more like a noose to him at the moment as he tucked the ring bearer's pillow under his arm. Debbie noticed that the pillow was bare, but she wasn't concerned. Thankfully, Michael had told her ahead of time that Gus had the rings in his suit jacket, since he tended to handle his pillow a little roughly; too roughly for the rings to stay on top, even with the fasteners meant to secure them.

Sure enough, she watched as he began to swing the pillow back and forth beside him as he tried, unsuccessfully at first, to wrestle his hand out of his sister's grip. Eventually, though, about midway down, Mel got up and walked over to her daughter from her seat, leaning down to whisper something in JR's ear. She nodded, letting go of a glowering Gus as she began to throw white rose petals down onto the ivory-colored runner beneath her feet. Gus let out what sounded like a huge sigh of relief as he rolled his eyes at his sister, everyone tittering over their antics as JR pelted a couple of guests with some of the rose petals that she threw in fistfuls, rather than one at a time. It appeared both children would need remedial training for future weddings, but for now they were providing everyone with some lively entertainment. Eventually, the two children reached the front pews; JR sat on her mother's lap, while Gus walked over to sit between Lindsay and Jennifer, who reached over to pull him against her, her eyes tearing up as she realized her son was about to finally fulfill one of his most fondest dreams: to marry the man he deeply loved, and whose life had been entwined with his for so long. She suspected that it had been one of Brian's dreams for a long time as well, ever since that day years ago that he had stunned her in his loft by telling her he had asked Justin to marry him, but had been turned down. She knew, though, that they were finally in a place where they could be free to express their commitment and devotion to each other in front of all their family and friends. She smiled; she could not be happier than she was at this moment.

Gus leaned into her side, holding the pillow on his knees as she pulled him against her. "Do you remember what to do, Gus?" she whispered with a smile. He nodded back at her with a shy smile of his own. She already knew the rings were inside his pocket, safely tucked away; at least that's what Debbie had told her. She didn't blame Brian for wanting to be careful about the rings; not after what had happened to his. She was a little disappointed that Brian would have to do with a substitute ring, but even she - sentimental, just like her son was - knew the vows and Brian's love for her son was the most important thing. But still, she couldn't help waxing a little wistfully over the fact that her son wouldn't get to slide Brian's actual ring onto his soon-to-be-husband's finger. Knowing how happy getting married to Brian made Justin, however, made her realize what was most important.

The two of them turned their heads then as a different strain of music started, and they watched as Michael and Daphne walked down the aisle side-by-side with Daphne's hand resting on Michael's bent arm. She heard Debbie whisper nearby about how wonderful they both looked, knowing without looking at her that she had tears in her eyes as she spoke (she could hear it in her voice), as the two best friends of the grooms proceeded down the aisle. She smiled up at Daphne fondly as she nodded back at her, a beaming smile on her face as she and Michael stopped at the temporary altar to stand on either side of it. Turning to face the crowd, who all rose to their feet and turned around to face the rear of the tent, a different song began to play. It wasn't the traditional wedding march, but everyone could tell by the change in tempo and the different tune that this was going to be Brian and Justin's turn.

 _A few minutes before..._

Brian's hand lightly resting on the small of Justin's lower back, the two men headed toward the tent, just as they heard a loud whimper and then a yelp sound from nearby that soon grew into a trio of deep barks when Tricky's fellow cohorts joined in.

"Oh, no," Justin groaned, knowing exactly where - and from whom - the sound had originated. It seemed that Tricky was fairly content to be separated from his idol as long as Brian was within eyesight of him. As soon as he began to walk away, however, it appeared that someone did not like it. Not one bit.

"Why now?" He asked in dismay; he peered over at the trio of canines, noticing Sandra frantically trying to shush them. The three dogs were facing the fence and staring at them like they were prisoners behind bars. "No!" he growled in protest. This was the worst possible time. "Not just before our wedding!"

Brian leaned in to pull Justin closer and whisper in his ear. "Don't listen to them, Sunshine. Don't pay them any attention, and they'll give up after a while once they know they're being ignored."

Justin snorted. "Sure, no problem. Let me find my noise-eliminating headphones first. I just hope they complement my suit." He winced as the dogs let forth with another series of howls like a pack of wolves baying. He sighed. Somehow he knew their wedding wouldn't go completely without a hitch. "I'll try," he finally told him, although he was highly doubtful he would be successful. His nerves were already a jumble as it is.

Brian brushed his lips across his cheek. "It'll work out," he whispered, his warm breath ghosting over Justin's cheek and helping at least somewhat to calm his nerves. "I'm not going anywhere, Justin. Not until you and I are married. No matter what - or who - tries to interfere, man OR beast. Okay?"

Justin turned his head to peer into the eyes he knew so well. He swallowed and took a deep breath, realizing the dogs' clamor was just a _part_ of why he was so nervous. He nodded back at him, earning a soft smile in return. "Yeah. Let's do this." His face changed into one of resolve as he studiously strove to ignore the cacophonous sound coming from nearby.

Their eyes meeting and broadcasting a message of love between them, Brian slid his arm around Justin's waist as they reached the tent presently holding a highly agitated Emmett. The dogs' sounds of discontent miraculously seemed to diminish somewhat as they approached the tent presently holding not only all their friends and family who meant so much to them, but a legion of assistants to Emmett for the reception area in the far corner, presently containing the small string quartet now playing, but also a space that would serve to hold all the food and refreshments that would be needed after the ceremony was concluded.

"Oh, my God!" Emmett cried out as they reached the tent. "Did you not hear your signal?" He looked around at everyone, who remained in their seats but currently had all their focus directed expectantly on the two grooms standing at the back of the tent. "Everyone's down there waiting for you!" he continued rapid fire. "Go, go!" he ordered them like some football referee, grabbing Brian's sleeve and giving him a slight push as if he were afraid he might still bolt, even though he believed that would never happen; not with the depth of love he felt for the man about to become his husband.

Brian scowled as he snatched his hand away. "Don't wrinkle my suit, Honeycutt," he told him as Emmett rolled his eyes.

"Brian," was the soft scolding in response next to him. He eyed his fiancé sheepishly as he shrugged, his face softening as he looked at Justin. He watched as his fiancé looked with awe at all their friends and family, who were staring back at them. The looks of happiness on all their faces - happiness that Brian knew was directed toward him and Justin - took him a little by surprise. Even now - even though he knew how much they really did care about not only Justin, but him - he found it a little hard to believe that he was worthy enough. But as quickly as the thought appeared to him, it was just as quickly pushed aside. He would not let the way he had been raised affect this day. His family - his biological family - were totally inconsequential. They did not mean anything. As he looked at Justin, he realized it. He - and his son - were everything. And these people waiting for them? _They_ were his real family.

Through the hand he lightly held against the small of Justin's back, he could feel his partner trembling slightly. "Take another deep breath, Sunshine," Brian murmured in his ear as he nuzzled his nose against his cheek and gave him a soft kiss.

Justin nodded against his skin, his heart pounding in nervous excitement as he swallowed hard. This was _nothing_ like their dress rehearsal. He realized this was really happening. Brian's ring or not, they were about to be wed. He glanced down briefly at his right hand, a brief, foolish profoundness being felt over the temporary loss of his own ring that had previously been there, but he knew it wouldn't be long before it was back in his possession, but this time on his left hand, placed there by his soon-to-be husband. _Wow._ Even now it was hard to believe, but it filled him with great joy nonetheless. He smiled up at Brian as the musicians - acting on a brief cue from Emmett - began to play the music that they had chosen for their walk down the aisle.

"Move, Altar Boy," Brian murmured in amusement as Justin stood there, seemingly frozen to the spot as he continued to ogle all the people staring at him. Even after having been the center of attention at various gallery showings, this was on a whole other level, because it meant more to him than anything - not only being married to the man he loved so completely, but being able to share it with so many others who had waited for this moment as well. As if he was broken out of his trance, he finally swallowed the lump in his throat and began to slowly move his feet, Brian's arm around his waist offering him not only physical but also emotional support.

Justin later wouldn't even really remember walking down the aisle, not until they had seen the video afterward. But at that moment, he almost felt like it was an out-of-body experience as the two of them slowly headed toward the minister waiting at the front of the tent, standing slightly elevated under a temporary arch laden with braided vines interlaced with elegant flowers. It was surprisingly understated, especially considering it had been created partly with Emmett's guidance; he was sure, however, that Brian was very grateful that it had not done in Easter candy-color hues, but in complementary tones of golden blooms (he noticed to his utmost happiness that they were Golden Gardenias (a suggestion from Brian, unbeknownst to him, but one that he had known would not be lost on him), ivory roses, baby's breath, and some deep blue flower he was not familiar with. It was stunning, he decided. Perfect. Amazing. He really didn't have the proper words to adequately express his feelings at the moment, but as he looked over at Brian, he could tell he instantly knew the emotions washing over him, because they were reflected in his eyes as well as he smiled tenderly back at him, much like that day so long ago when they had made love in front of the fire here at Britin after he had first accepted his marriage proposal. If only he had known back then how long it would take for them to actually fulfill that proposal. But it didn't matter; they were here, and it was about to become a reality.

As they proceeded toward the minister, they took a moment to stop periodically along the way to briefly acknowledge some of their dearest friends and family members: Lindsay took Brian's hand for a moment, as well as Justin's, bestowing a kiss on both their cheeks as they nodded back at her. Even Mel smiled at them from her place by Lindsay's side. Brian made a point of stopping when they came to Cynthia's chair to lean down and kiss her on the cheek, noticing his normally unflappable executive assistant actually blushing in response and her eyes tearing up. He would probably never express it aloud, but he was extremely grateful to her for all her years of not only being the best executive assistant any advertising man could ask for, but for also being his friend and supporter throughout the highs and lows of his career. Somewhere along the line she had become one of the most treasured members of his inner circle, and it had been partly due to her ongoing support of his and Justin's relationship that they had managed to arrive at this day.

Proceeding down the aisle, they paused for a moment to shake Ted, Blake's, and Ben's hands until they arrived at the first row of chairs that held their dearest guests: Debbie, Jennifer, and Molly. As they stood near them, both men smiled as they simultaneously reached inside their pockets to retrieve some small boxes colored in the instantly-familiar hue of Tiffany's. Both men handed one of the boxes to their respective 'mothers' - along with an additional box from Justin for his sister, Molly, receiving gasps of delight from all three women - before they kissed their cheeks and turned at last to face the minister, Daphne standing by Justin's side on the left as Michael did the same for Brian on the right. Gus stood a few feet away from his father now, having rose from his place before, fidgeting restlessly as JR, who had also joined them, swung her flower basket lightly back and forth, much like her brother had done before with his pillow. Oddly enough - now that Gus seemed to realize he was about to be placed in the spotlight as he handed the two rings to the minister - he appeared somewhat subdued, almost as if he had stage fright as he took in all the spectacle in front of him and felt everyone's eyes focused up front, his own eyes wide with amazement over all people looking at them.

The music stopped playing - and amazingly even the dogs had quieted down, at least for now - as the minister nodded at them politely before addressing the crowd. "We are here this afternoon to witness the marriage of Justin Taylor and Brian Kinney in front of all their friends and family. Before exchanging rings, both grooms have written their own vows to each other." The minister nodded at Justin with a smile as he addressed him. "Justin?"

The two men turned to face each other, their hands reaching to clasp the other's between them as they stared into his other's eyes, all the guests who were gathered there to witness their vows temporarily pushed aside as if they weren't there. Justin's heart was racing; he wasn't sure why. It wasn't as if he and Brian weren't comfortable with each other, or that they hadn't long ago fallen into a familiar pattern between them. Not a boring one, mind you; Justin knew that would never happen. But as he gazed into Brian's eyes, he briefly found himself speechless.

Justin felt Brian's hands gripping his a little tighter, seemingly giving him the strength to speak, even though his emotions were in a jumbled mess at the moment. It was all almost too much to take in. His heart swelled with love as he looked into Brian's eyes and received a soft smile of encouragement in return.

As if reading his mind, Brian smirked, commenting softly, "What? You rendered mute? Never thought I would see the day."

That served to break the ice as Justin snorted, the attendees within earshot tittering in reaction. "And you won't _today_ , either," he told him as his lips gradually twisted into a smile. He took a deep breath before finally beginning to say what he had come to say. He had practiced it so many times by now that he had it memorized. But still, he felt himself choking up as thought about saying it out loud. He shook his head slightly in disbelief as Brian's fingers slowly stroked his hands, providing him with some much-needed support. "Sometimes it seems like only yesterday that we met," he began softly, the room hushed as they hung on his every word. He smiled. "And then sometimes it seems like a long time ago. I've changed a lot since I was that seventeen-year-old sneaking out of my parents' home in search of 'finding myself.' Only I didn't know at the time just how much my life would change as I stood on that street corner in the middle of Liberty Avenue, totally scared out of my mind but determined to find what I looking for...even though I didn't really know what that was," he admitted with a grin as Brian half-smiled back at him. "Or what I really needed."

He paused, feeling Brian's hands gripping his just a little tighter, his partner's eyes boring into his as he listened to every word, focused on every syllable, and made his face warm over the intensity of his stare. The well-rehearsed words promptly flew out the window as his eyes stung with unwashed tears. He couldn't help thinking that if he was this teary-eyed already, what was going to happen when Brian began to speak to _him_? He imagined he was about to become a virtual _fountain_ of tears. But he took a deep breath, and shakily let it out, his fiance's touch bolstering his self-confidence as he continued off-the-cuff now. "I will never know how what force was behind our meeting that night - fate, luck, God...the wind blowing in the right direction, my abhorrence of hairy men," he added, evoking a chuckle among the attendees, "But I do know one thing, Brian Kinney. When I met you, I had no way of really knowing it at the time. But my world was never going to be the same."

"I do have that effect on people," Brian explained with a smirk. Again, more laughter from those listening to them. Justin rolled his eyes and flashed a scolding look at Brian, who shrugged with his shoulders before rolling his lips under as if he were a little boy with his hand caught in the cookie jar.

"Like I said...arrogant," Justin whispered as Daphne giggled from her place next to him. He grinned briefly at her before admitting, "You fascinated me and you mesmerized me from the first moment I saw you. And you also terrified the hell out of me with your dominance, your overpowering sexuality, and your confidence. I was totally inexperienced," Justin conceded, his face reddening a little in embarrassment. But it was something that everyone knew anyway. "And I had no idea at the time exactly what I was getting myself into - both figuratively and literally," he added, causing everyone once more to titter in amusement.

"You have that backward," Brian helpfully corrected him as Justin rolled his eyes.

"Whose speech _is_ this?" Justin asked him with mock gruffness; arching his right eyebrow in a perfect imitation of his fiancé.

Brian broke off his clasp of one hand to make a zipping motion across his mouth, rolling his lips under in that little-boy way of his as Justin nodded. "That's more like it," he told him. "Now...as I was saying..." Once more, everyone broke out into chuckles as he continued as if nothing had happened. "Anyone could see how arrogant you were. But, still...there was something about you. Something I think that no one else could see. Something that attracted me to you even more than the good looks...and let's face it; you are... _somewhat_ attractive," he admitted with a grin, receiving a raise of an eyebrow from Brian in reaction. His smile slowly faded to be replaced with a serious look as he began to concentrate on the rest of what he wanted to say.

"Even after all this time, I'm not sure I can explain it adequately. But I do know that you can still make me feel things I can't explain, and challenge me in ways I never thought I _could_ be challenged. You have made me a better man, a stronger man. A man who can be true to himself, and not have to worry about how others perceive or prejudge me. I can be who I really am, which is so damn liberating, as well as empowering." He blinked then, trying furiously to quell the tears that were threatening to fall. He had told himself he would stay strong, and not show such outward emotion. But now that he was here - in front of everyone, and especially staring into the eyes of the man he was about to marry and that he hoped he would spend the rest of his life with - he found that he couldn't keep that promise. Perhaps he knew that he never could.

He sniffled. "I don't know what sort of man I would have been if I hadn't met you. But I DO know the man that I am _because_ I met you. And I will be forever thankful for that." He took a deep breath before letting it out, feeling some of the nervousness leaving his body. "I love you," he stated through his tears. "Body, soul, mind...everything. And I intend on taking the rest of my life to prove that to you."

The minister smiled with a nod as he turned to the other groom. "Brian? It's your turn. What would you like to say to Justin?"

Brian stared intently into the clear blue eyes of the man he loved. The man who had taught him so much over the last few years. The man he had thought he would never find - or _deserve_ to find. He noticed Justin blinking in a vain attempt to keep the tears from escaping, but he was being totally unsuccessful. _Sentimental man_ , he silently chided him with his eyes, as Justin smiled back at him sheepishly, somehow knowing exactly what he was thinking without him saying a word.

He finally began to speak then, quietly but firmly. "I could say a lot of things about you," he tentatively began. "How you sometimes annoy the shit out of me when you start a conversation that will last forever, even with the most mundane of topics. How you can literally double my grocery bill when you are in the middle of some artistic-inspired painting rampage, and can go through an entire tin of popcorn in one night while you work, even going without sleeping. How you can watch some of your favorite movies over and over again, until we get the point where we have to buy two of each favorite, because you literally wear the first copy out. How you can mistake Dolce Gabana for a chocolate company, and don't know the first thing about what would be considerable fashionable for successful artist. How you would rather read the back of your favorite, sugar-coated cereal box rather than the latest novel."

He paused as Justin harrumphed at him in response. "Well, I'm glad you decided not to mention all those things," his fiancé replied.

Brian chuckled before his face dissolved into something more serious. "Yeah, I decided that wasn't important at the moment," he replied, his eyes boring into his fiance's. He gazed into the fathomless blue eyes as he told him, "I decided I'd rather talk about how you treat my son as your own. How you put up with my moods, no matter what they might be, and how you instinctively know how to handle them. How you know when I need support and comfort, or when you can tell that I need time to myself. How you are passionate about so many things: your art, the injustices you see, your family and friends...and how you love me," the last part causing Justin to blush.

Brian continued, knowing if he stopped now he might not finish, and it was important that he said everything that Justin deserved to hear. He took a deep breath, still finding it a little hard to say what was in his heart, but knowing that if anyone deserved to hear such things, it was this man. "No, I'd rather talk about a man who discovered that he was capable of loving...and being loved," he continued, shaking his head in amusement as the tears began to flow freely down his fiance's cheeks now. "That man is me. And I don't know how I was so lucky that it was you I chose that night under the streetlamp," he said, finding himself choking up now as he cleared his throat to compose himself. "But I will spend every day for the rest of my life being thankful that you were the one...and showing you just how damn blessed I am. And...I love you, too, Justin Taylor." His heart skipped a beat at the radiant smile that appeared on Justin's face then as he turned his head to peer up at the minister, signaling that he was finished with his vows.

The minister cleared his throat and nodded as he gazed out onto the audience. "Now that they have recited their vows, they have chosen to demonstrate their love and their commitment to each other with the exchanging of rings. May I have the rings, please?" the minister asked, casting his attention down on the fidgety young child nervously hopping lightly up and down on his feet as he continued to swing his empty pillow back and forth next to JR. He appeared not to notice, though, that at last it was his time to shine as Gus gazed around the room.

"Sonny Boy!" Brian stage whispered when he son continued his activity, unmindful of his responsibilities.

"Huh?"

Both Brian and Justin chuckled as the boy's father explained, "He's asking for the rings, Gus."

Gus nodded eagerly, giggling as he reached inside his pocket. He fished out the smaller ring, and hurried over to the altar to thrust it upward toward the minister. "This one is for Papa," he advised the older man. "Daddy's supposed to put it on his finger," he explained. "You're not allowed," he instructed him as he eyed him sternly, causing everyone nearby to chuckle, including the minister.

"Don't worry, young man; I won't," he promised him as Gus nodded back in satisfaction.

Justin's heart lurched over Gus's declaration; he wasn't sure if it was the name 'Papa' he used, the fact that he was about to finally have his ring placed back on his finger - this time on the left hand as a married man - or both.

The minister told the boy, "Just hold it out for your father, and he'll put the ring on the groom's finger," he urged him. Gus turned slightly to hold it out toward Brian, who smiled tenderly at him.

"Good work, Sonny Boy," he murmured as Gus beamed, proud of his important role.

"Brian, will you place the ring on Justin's finger, and repeat after me?" the minister asked. "I, Brian..."

"I, Brian..."

"Place this ring on your finger..."

Brian began to slowly slide the finger onto Justin's left hand. "Place this ring on your finger..."

"As a token of my love and my commitment to you."

Brian gazed down at the band of polished metal as he finished the vow. "...As a token of my love...and my commitment to you." Finally, the ring was pushed gently all the way down until it rested at the bottom of Justin's finger, gleaming in the angled sunlight streaming into the tent. As he lifted his face to peer into his Justin's eyes, he could feel his hand shaking beneath his - as well as his own. _Wow. I really AM getting married_ , he couldn't help thinking with awe. _But incredibly, it doesn't scare the hell out of me_. He smiled tenderly at Justin, whose eyes sparkled with his tears, making them appear luminous.

He reached up to gently brush the wetness away from Justin's face as the breath caught in Daphne's throat; the look on Brian's face instantly took her back to several years ago at another elegant event where he and Justin had been the center of attention. And that look...it was the same as before. Perhaps only now did she fully realize just how much Brian loved her best friend as much then as he did now. Her own eyes began to fill with tears - tears of happiness and tears of regret, too, that Justin still did not remember all of what happened that night; only the horrible part afterward. She forced it from her mind, however, as she heard the minister ask Gus for the other ring, and the little boy reached inside his pocket to find the one that Justin would slip on Brian's finger. She sighed softly in disappointment as she realized it would be the substitute ring and not Brian's actual wedding band; she knew how badly Justin had wanted to slide the real one onto Brian's finger. She knew eventually that there would be a suitable replacement for it, but she could almost feel the sadness oozing out of Justin's body, although perhaps only she could tell how badly he was missing it; his smile, while radiant, didn't quite reach all the way to his eyes.

"Thank you, Buddy," Justin whispered to Brian's son as he accepted the Captain Astro ring that he would be using as a substitute for the real one. He smiled at the little boy in reassurance, trying desperately to hide his disappointment and fervently trying to remember it wasn't the ring that was important; it was what it meant. As he reached to grasp Brian's hand in his and slide the ring onto his finger, his heart threatened to stop as Brian unexpectedly shook his head. "Brian?" he whispered with concern. Had he changed his mind about getting married all of a sudden?

"Just a moment," he told the minister, who frowned in surprise himself. He obviously was wondering the same thing as Justin as everything became silent; not even the dogs made a sound. Justin thought about all the brides who had been stood up at the altar, and had wound up having just some big, old party afterward before defiantly embarking on an ex-honeymoon. Would he become one of them?

His heart dropped as he watched Brian turn and hand the ring back to Gus, who...giggled. _Giggled? His son thinks this is all a game?_ He couldn't help thinking. But he knew that Gus probably didn't realize the great significance of the ceremony, so he quickly pushed his irritation aside as he turned his focus back on his partner; Gus was just a boy. He probably did not know exactly what was happening, and what the ring signified, so he tried hard not to let his disappointment and sadness show on his face. He watched then as Brian smirked at him before reaching inside his own suit's breast pocket...and pulling out a _different_ ring...HIS ring. The one that Justin had given him. The one that Justin had had his heart set on putting on his finger when they wed. The one that was supposedly unsalvageable in Brian's estimation. The one that now looked good as new. He could hear gasps from those around them as they realized what was happening.

His eyes grew wide with amazement as Brian smiled and placed the now gleaming band in the palm of his shaking hand. Brian looked up at the minister and nodded. "Now we're ready," he told him, waggling his eyebrows triumphantly at his fiancé, who seemed frozen with disbelief. "Well?" he asked Justin, who remained speechless. "I'm waiting, Sunshine," he told him, one brow raised expectantly. He held his hand out and slightly shook his head as if to say, _Get on with it_ , and Justin finally responded before he found out it was all just a mirage.

His other hand now trembling, he held onto Brian's long-fingered hand, and staring at the shiny metal, cold and smooth between his fingers, he slowly slid the real ring onto Brian's left hand, pushing it all the way down until he rested there snugly. As he gazed at the band now adorning Brian's hand, he thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in his life.

"Now repeat after me, Justin," the minister intoned. "I, Justin, place this ring on your finger as a token of my love and commitment to you."

Justin took a shuddery breath, his body a jumble of emotions that threatened to overwhelm him. It was almost too much to comprehend, and when he finally DID begin to speak, he knew it was going to take some strength to actually get through the words. "I, Justin," he began with a choked, hoarse whisper as he gazed down at the brilliant object, now fully restored to its glory, "place this ring...on your finger," he took another deep breath and let it out, "...as a token of my love...and commitment...to you." He slowly lifted his eyes to gaze into the hazel ones locked on his, and it was only then that his smile grew to full wattage, from his lips up to his eyes - on his entire face. His heart swelled with even deeper love for this man as Brian grinned back at him with a 'gotcha' smile of his own.

Taking another deep breath, both men firmly grasped each other's hands as they turned to look at the minister, who smiled and declared, "It is now my distinct honor and privilege to be the first person to formally introduce Brian and Justin Taylor-Kinney. You may now kiss your groom, gentlemen," he instructed them.

The words were barely out of his mouth before the area erupted into cheers, whistles, and calls of 'congratulations' and 'they did it!' as Brian grasped his now husband's upper arms and promptly plastered their mouths together into a deep lip lock, bending Justin at the waist backward as he deepened the kiss into more of an X-rated exhibition. Both men could hear laughter erupting, not realizing it wasn't due to them; at least not entirely. As soon as they began to kiss, JR - caught up in the excitement of the moment and presently in her 'fairy princess' stage - promptly grabbed her older brother by the upper arms and, pursing her lips together, bestowed a peck on her brother's lips, resulting in Gus wiping his mouth with the back of his sleeve immediately afterward and giving her an 'eww, gross' look as he pushed her away and promptly ran back over to his mother, climbing into her lap for protection.

Amidst catcalls and whoops of celebration, Brian slowly pulled his now-husband back up to a full standing position as the two men finally came up for air, leaving Justin breathless and Brian peering back at him with decided smugness.

Emmett stood up as the cheers continued, grabbing the microphone in front of the minister to announce with a joyous voice, "And now it's time to par-tay!" Taking that as his cue, the DJ promptly fired up his music system as a thumpa-thumpa beat filled the air. As everyone rose to their seats and began to filter over toward the informal buffet spread set up at the far corner of the tent, several of the newlyweds' friends and family stopped to extend their congratulations.

Jennifer's eyes glistened with happiness as she hugged her son, and then her son-in-law. "I'm so happy for you both!" she told them, laying a palm on either side of their faces. "And those vows..." She shook her head. "So romantic," she swooned as Brian rolled his eyes in a vain attempt to deny it. She dropped her hands to her side as she peered over at Brian. "And _you_...how did you do it?"

Brian pretended not to know what she was talking about, but he knew it was futile. He finally shrugged. "Just call me the miracle worker."

"Brian..." Justin began, dying to know the same thing. He was still trying to process what had happened a few minutes ago as he reached down to grab Brian's hand and bring it up to study his ring. "How? When?" he managed to sputter, before several of their friends converged upon them to offer their best wishes, promptly pushing the answer aside for a short time.

Several minutes later - after claps on the back, kisses, and more congratulations - the two men finally excused themselves to head back into the house and change into less restrictive dancing clothes, providing Justin with the chance he had been waiting for.

Brian groaned melodramatically as he pulled his jacket off and loosened his tie. "My entire body aches," he stated as he unzipped his pants and stepped out of them, taking just long enough to carefully fold them and lay them on their king-sized bed. He stole a furtive, sultry glance over at his husband, who was silently observing him as he gnawed on his thumbnail. "I think I'm going to need a shower to loosen me up," he added with a leer. "Wash my back?" he suggested, his eyes practically undressing Justin and making him laugh.

"You are _so_ transparent!" he chided him with a smile.

Brian greeted him with his typical smirk as he began to unbutton his shirt. "Come into the bathroom, Sunshine, and I'll be _really_ transparent to you."

But Justin reached out to grasp Brian's wrist before he could get away, peering down at the ring he thought he might never see again - at least on his husband's finger. "Brian, how did you do it? _Why_ did you do it? And don't tell me you don't know what I'm referring to, because we both know that would be bullshit."

Brian sighed softly, curling his lips under and feeling just a bit awkward. No, actually; a LOT awkward. _Why was this still so hard for him?_ He paused before replying, "A little elbow grease on the part of a jeweler who was paid an obscene amount of money to rush the job...and a little co-conspirator by the name of Cynthia. Along with a little subterfuge on Sonny Boy's par. Actually, he thought it was pretty cool. He felt like he was some superhero with a deep, dark secret known between only Rage and him."

Justin nodded carefully. "I see," he murmured, noticing his husband's discomfort. But the biggest question of all was yet to be answered. "Why?" he asked softly. "I can understand the how; that is so ... _you_. But you told me you wouldn't ever..." He stopped as Brian reached up to press his fingers across his lips to stop him as he shook his head.

"I know what I said," he answered quietly. "You don't have to quote it back word-for-word, and - knowing you - I have no doubt you could do that." He smiled as Justin rolled his eyes at him, managing to express himself without saying a word. He gently detached his wrist from Justin's grasp as he brushed his hand through his hair. "I got to thinking about what you'd said - and what _I_ had said. And I gave it a lot of thought..."

"Brian..."

"I'm getting to it," he insisted a little gruffly. It was hard enough for him as it was. "I don't suppose you would accept the explanation that Mikey didn't want to be parted from his favorite ring, and I felt obligated to return it." Justin shook his head. "No, I didn't think so," he admitted with an almost shy smile. He took a deep breath and let it out before continuing. "I finally decided that making you happy was more important to me than having to put up with some shit...literally. And I knew one good way to do that. It was within my control to do it...so I did it," he explained simply.

"Uh, huh," Justin responded dryly. "What happened to you not touching that ring for any reason? That you wouldn't be caught dead wearing it?"

Brian shrugged. "I changed my mind. Isn't that permitted?"

Justin smiled. "By all means," he told him, deciding it was wise not to push his husband. It was enough that he had done it despite his reservations. He glanced down at the ring on the hand he was holding, still amazed to see it there, but filling him with happiness. "I would kiss your ring as a thank you," he told him as Brian grinned. "But I think for now I'll kiss something _else_." He lifted his gaze to stare into his husband's eyes. He shook his head as he let his hands slide up Brian's bare chest to rest on the curve of his shoulders. "You know, just when I think I can't love you anymore than I already do, you do something like this...and make me fall even deeper in love with you." He paused, his heart feeling like it could overwhelm him with the depth of his feelings right now. "You think you can keep doing that for the rest of our lives?"

Brian reached to caress Justin's cheek with his fingers, watching as his husband's eyes fluttered closed and a sigh escape as he closed his eyes. "I think that can be arranged," he whispered as Justin's eyes slowly reopened. "There's only one problem," he added unexpectedly as Justin frowned.

"What?"

His voice a choked whisper, Brian explained, "I don't think the rest of our lives will be long enough."

Justin flushed with pleasure. "Neither do I," he whispered back. His hand sliding down to intertwine fingers with Brian's, together the two of them headed toward the bathroom, knowing a crowd of well-wishers was waiting below. For now, however, all they needed or wanted was just the two of them.


	12. Three Chocolate Labs

_A/N: Sorry for the confusion; I overlooked posting Ch. 10 before 11. I have now corrected it, and added the remainder of the story. Please accept my apologies._

 _fjfjfjfjffjfjfjfjfjfjffjfjfjfjfjfjfjffjfjfjfjfjfjfjfjfjfjfjfjfjfjfjfjfjfjfjffjfjfjfjfjf_

 _Just when rhe newlyweds felt safe...well, you know..._

 _Thirty Minutes Later...Master Bedroom..._

"Hmmm...Brian...?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you hear that?"

Standing behind Justin near their walk-in closet, Brian only half-listened to his lover as his lips traveled from Justin's earlobe and then slid down the cord of his neck to rain kisses over to his left shoulder; he knew what he was doing always made Justin horny, and truth be told, hearing Justin's sighs of approval always made HIM horny as well. He smiled against his husband's skin as he heard Justin's vocal appreciation and felt him shiver under his touch. He lifted his head and nuzzled the side of Justin's face, his hands lightly traveling up and down his husband's shoulders. "What?" he whispered, biting playfully down on the fleshy lower part of his earlobe. He always loved Justin's ears for some reason. Well, all of him, actually.

Justin turned around in his arms. "Stop that," he chided him breathlessly, placing his hands on Brian's chest.

"Stop what?" Brian whispered against his cheek, his lips sliding down along his husband's jaw while his fingers continued to caress the soft, warm flesh beneath his touch. _Justin had the softest skin_ , he decided.

"That!"

"I thought you _liked_ that?" Brian curled his lips under playfully, his eyes twinkling with mischief as he finally pulled back to look him in the eyes.

"I do," Justin replied with a little stammer, trying to concentrate on the sounds filtering in from the reception out in the backyard. It had been at least 45 minutes since the ceremony, so while he knew their family and friends no doubt knew precisely what they had been doing during those 45 minutes, they were here to celebrate their marriage, and logically it dictated that they should be out there celebrating _with_ them. It was with more than a little effort that Justin was able to disentangle himself from his husband's embrace as he managed to explain, "I think we'd better get back outside before Emmett has a coronary. You know he went through a lot of work for that reception. I thought I heard his voice just now."

Brian scoffed. "Come on, Sunshine! There's no way you could have been concentrating on anything else except me for the past few minutes."

Justin chuckled. "Well, good to know your humility is still intact." He shook his head as Brian grinned back at him, his hands now linked behind Justin's neck while his long fingers played with his still-damp hair. They had somehow managed to travel from the master bathroom back into their bedroom, and Justin had been 'permitted' to put some briefs and pants on despite a determined Brian who kept trying to prevent it. But his husband was still standing there in front of him, entirely naked and proud as a peacock, making it a little hard to concentrate. "But I'm sure I heard Emmett's voice calling us." He stopped to listen intently for a moment, but the only sounds he could hear presently through the open windows were the voices of their guests below, and the music the DJ was now playing - accentuated with an occasional, unhappy yip or bark from one of the dogs who were being held captive behind the fence.

At last Brian sighed and his body slightly drooped, signaling defeat, at least temporarily. "All right, Justin. If you really would rather go back out and pig out on two millions carbs, just say so." He shook his head in disbelief. "I must be losing my touch."

Justin grinned. "Your 'touch' is just fine," he assured him as he gently stroked his husband's just-shaved face, earning a smirk in return. "But my 'country-club manners,' as you so often describe them, won't allow me to shirk my newlywed responsibilities and ignore all the guests who showed up for our ceremony."

"Even though they're currently being musically entertained and provided with unlimited libations?"

Justin laughed softly. "No, not even that." He paused before admitting softly, "And I want to show my sexy, handsome husband off and perhaps engage in just a little bit of _eat your heart out, gay boys,_ too _,"_ he explained. Brian smiled at him as his further conceded, "And maybe...just maybe...I might want to taste our wedding cake...and have all the obligatory photos taken of this incredible day." He peered into the familiar, hazel eyes, his heart fluttering. "Brian...our wedding vows...and you wearing the ring I gave you...and what you said to me..." Justin suddenly was overwhelmed by all of it and for just a brief period, he was unable to continue, his eyes watering. _Damn it_. But he just couldn't help it.

Brian stared into his shining, blue eyes, his hands momentarily stopping their movement as he replied with a grimace, "I'll do it for you, Sunshine. Even though you know how much I hate these sort of hetero displays. I'll do it...because it makes you happy." Justin's smile was blinding as he also admitted, "And maybe I'd like to show off MY beautiful husband as well." He pecked Justin on the lips as the strains of a familiar tune greeted their ears.

Justin frowned. "I think Emmett's resorting now to a different tactic to try and get us to make our reappearance," he observed.

"Huh?" Brian's fingers once more stroked Justin's bare shoulders.

"Isn't the DJ playing _I'm Coming Out_?"

Brian listened for a few seconds before snickering. "Yeah. You don't think it's a coincidence?"

Justin chuckled. "Knowing Emmett? No, I don't think so. I don't think he's using it as some gay anthem; I think he's trying to tell us something. Emmett is anything but subtle."

Brian snorted. "You've got a point there," he conceded. The song that had been playing abruptly stopped and both men winced as a screeching, squelching sort of noise replaced it, along with some type of chuffing noise, followed by a couple of taps against the microphone. "Attention... _you_! Yes, I mean you! Get your asses down here, Misters! Don't make me come up there...not that it wouldn't be a real eyeful, no doubt," was the quickly amended statement. "You've got five minutes before I roll out the big guns and send Debbie up there to get you!"

There was a few seconds' pause before a different voice was heard. "And just don't think I won't do it! You have a boy down here who's wanting cake! I don't care WHAT you're doing!" In a lower but still distinguishable voice, they could hear Debbie mutter into the microphone, "It wouldn't be the first time." Just as quickly as the music stopped, it started back up then as if nothing had happened; except the laughter that resulted in Emmett's announcement and Debbie's added commentary indicated that they had not dreamed it up.

The two men laughed as Brian turned to retrieve Justin's shirt from the bed. "You heard the woman, husband," Brian told Justin sternly, taking brief delight in smacking a certain wondrous ass and earning a yelp in return. "We have a hungry boy and a fearless redhead down there, demanding our presence." He chuckled over the scowl he received as Justin began to shrug into his shirt; he watched as Justin stopped, however, and just stood there. "What? Weren't you the one insisting we head back down so you could stuff your mouth with some other type of cream?"

His attempt at teasing was met with an enigmatic smile. "Justin?"

"Say it again."

"Huh?"

"What you just said. Say it again."

Brian frowned. "What? That you have a stomach with the capacity of an industrial-sized Frigidaire?"

"Ha, Ha." Justin smiled at him, appearing almost shy as he replied, "No. Not that. The _other_ thing." He knew that Brian was aware of precisely what he wanted him to say, and was merely prolonging the wait. "Say it again...and then we can go outside."

Brian rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "You are so easy. Say the right word, and you're putty in my hands." To emphasize his point, he slid his arms around Justin to give his linen-clad ass a squeeze, earning a soft mix between a sigh and a whimper in return. Still cupping the ample flesh, he leaned in closer to him and whispered in his ear, "Husband. My _husband_." He smiled as he pulled back. "OMG. You're getting horny just from that?" He grinned. "Wow, I think our wedding night will go down in the record books tonight, and maybe even set a record for how fast I can get you to come."

That at last made Justin blink as he snorted back at him; Brian merely rolled his tongue into his cheek. "Oh, really? Pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?" He tried to pull away to begin buttoning up his shirt, but a pair of strong arms prevented him. "Maybe we'll just see about that, Hot Stuff."

Brian chuckled, causing Justin's lips to break out into a grin in spite of himself. "Oh, I like the sound of that... _husband_. Care to make a bet on just who can last the longest tonight, Sunshine?"

His bravado notwithstanding, Justin shivered at the thought as he fought to maintain his composure. Just the sound of the words 'wedding night' was enough to thrust him into the upper stratosphere of desire. He groaned inwardly at the use of his word 'thrust,' which just made it all the worse. And Brian's present smirk didn't help, either, but it DID fuel his determination. "Sure," he told him with a smile. "Either way, I figure I'll come out the winner...on top."

Brian chuckled. "We'll see about that, Mr. Taylor-Kinney."

"Stop it."

"What, squeezing your ass?"

"Yes! I mean, NO! Stop using those...words. The ones that you know set me off."

Brian's smile was downright smug now as he whispered in his ear, "Okay, husband...Justin...Taylor...Kinney..." Justin groaned as Brian gave the ass cheeks another squeeze before finally letting him go. He wasn't about to admit that the thought of a certain beautiful blond spitfire topping him didn't make him just a bit horny himself. But something told him tonight's play for dominancy between them wouldn't be quite as easy as he thought. He would never tell Justin that, though.

"Get dressed," he told him, his voice a little thick with desire. "Before I throw you over my shoulders and fuck you into the mattress. As much as I like a little kinkiness sometimes, having Debbie watching us fuck would really kill the mood."

Justin grinned as he finished buttoning up his shirt, noticing Brian just standing there ogling him. His face felt like it was on fire just by the look he was receiving. "Will you please get dressed?"

Brian laughed. "Why, afraid you won't be able to control yourself?" His laughter was muffled then by his pants being throw into his face in response. "Hey!" he growled. "Watch it! These cost me a week's salary!"

Justin reacted to that statement by tossing his just-as-expensive shirt at him, giving Brian barely enough time to grab it before it landed on the floor beside him. "Ohhh...poor man. Now you only have $2,999,000 in the bank," Justin quipped. "Hurry up." He purposefully turned his back to bend over and pick up his shoes and socks from the floor by the dresser where he had thrown them previously, grinning as he heard a barely audible groan from behind.

"Fucker."

Justin stood back up and turned around, a big Cheshire-cat grin on his face. "You got THAT right. But no time now; it'll have to wait until tonight." Brian rolled his eyes again, prepared to issue a snappy retort of his own, but he was stymied immediately.

"You have one minute!" Was the unexpected demand from below as another song ended outside. Justin thought he heard something in the lyrics about _They're coming to take me away_ , but he didn't recognize the song. "Come on, guys! My cake frosting is beginning to melt!"

Both men laughed as, at last fully dressed, they turned and headed out of the bedroom.

* * *

Brian peered warily over at the fenced-in part of the backyard as he and Justin emerged onto the back patio; all three dogs had barked furiously at them when they had rushed back into the house earlier after the ceremony, surging against the fence as the two of them disappeared inside, and this was no different. As soon as Tricky, in particular, caught wind of Brian coming out of the house, he began to yelp and bark excitedly. To Brian's concern, he noticed the dog was tall enough to place his front paws on the top of the fence. "Do you see that?" he asked Justin as he stopped to gawk at the spectacle. As soon as Brian looked over at Tricky, all three dogs began to bark excessively, making for a cacophony of sound between them and the DJ who was presently playing a thumpa-thumpa sort of tune.

He turned as he felt Justin grasp his wrist. "Brian, don't think about it," he told him as he waved at Sandra, who waved back, even as she was trying to pull Tricky back down off the fence. "Sandra's watching them. Everything's fine," he added, even though he had to wince at the loud trio of deep barking now becoming even more incessant. "Let's concentrate on the reception, okay?" He took a deep breath and let it out, trying internally to relax as well, as they slowly walked toward the tent located several dozen feet away. He could tell the dancing was literally in full swing at the moment, and felt a momentary twinge of regret that the first dance hadn't been reserved for him and Brian. But he also knew realistically that they couldn't have expected everyone to just mill around while he and Brian engaged in their after-wedding fuck, either. He sighed, silently vowing the two of them WOULD get their chance; it was one of his wishes to dance with his husband after their ceremony. How he wished he could remember more about the other moment in time when they had danced so formally...He turned to gaze over at Brian as he returned to the present, who seemed to discern the concern he now saw in his eyes.

"Hey...What is it? It really will be okay, Justin." Now it was Brian's turn to be the reassuring one.

Justin smiled with a nod. "I know. I'm fine." Under the probing stare he received, he admitted, "I was just thinking how much I wanted to dance with you in front of our friends and family...and how much I wish I could remember the other time we danced...well, you know..."

Yes, Brian knew exactly what he meant. It wasn't the dancing under the strobe lights and glitter of Babylon, or the dancing they sometimes did casually at times when they were alone here at Britin after having had perhaps just a little too much booze. No, he knew exactly what it meant, and it briefly caused a flash of pain to lance through him, even now. But he pushed that aside. No matter how much he knew Justin wanted to remember the happy moments from that night so long ago, he also knew it apparently would never happen. He could work hard, though, to replace them - and substitute some of his own horrific memories of what had occurred afterward - with some more pleasant memories. "Come on, Sunshine," he told him softly. "We have a fox to trot."

That at least made his husband laugh, and Brian was rewarded with a smile through Justin's glistening eyes as he nodded in agreement. Pausing just long enough to bestow a gentle kiss on Justin's lips, Brian reached for his hand and clasped it as they slowly proceeded toward the tent, the dogs' attempts at attention suddenly unimportant and disregarded.

* * *

Sandra sighed as she finally managed to pull Tricky down from the fence with a stern command and a firm grasp on his extra-large sized collar. She definitely knew why her neighbor seemed so exasperated with this unwieldy behemoth. He had to be at least an additional one-third the size of her own dog, Sadie. And at least her dog wasn't bouncing up and down on her front legs like Tricky had been. But Sadie _did_ seem agitated and overly excited. She instantly recognized her dog's emotion by the back-and-forth trotting she was doing along the fence line facing the reception. She glanced over at the smallest member of the group, relieved that at least Xena was still too small to be able to create much havoc. But that didn't stop her from wondering how in the world Justin had been able to talk Brian into keeping one of the puppies. She knew the younger man a lot better than Brian, but she knew enough from what Justin had told her during their 'over-the-fence' talks to know that he seemed like the fastidious type. And fastidious and puppies definitely did not go hand-in-hand. She supposed that merely demonstrated how much in love he was with Justin. She smiled at that; Justin was such a nice man. She was happy for him that he had found someone to love him the way he deserved to be loved. Watching over three rambunctious canines was the least she could do for him to make sure today turned out to be a happy, worry-free occasion. She paused for just a moment to look once more at the newly-married couple walking hand-in-hand toward the reception tent. She smiled, feeling her eyes tearing up over how handsome they looked, and how they were presently staring at each other as if nothing or no one else existed in their world. She nodded to herself; that is how it should be.

As they disappeared inside the tent, she focused her attention back then on the three feisty mutts surrounding her, hoping her energy and stamina would hold out until the festivities were over.

* * *

Emmett's eyes widened as he heard voices rising near the back of the reception tent and then clapping, noticing his two old-time friends heading toward him. "Thank God!" he cried out as he rushed over to them. "Don't you know how receptions work?"

"Of course I do!" Brian retorted sarcastically. "I've participated in so many."

"Come on!" Emmett barked with a scowl as he told hold of the two men's sleeves and began to pull them toward the front corner where the buffet had been set up.

Brian glared back at him, but his face quickly softened as he saw his son galloping up to him, having broken free of his mother's hand. "Daddy! Papa!" he cried out as he threw his arms around his father's body. Brian hugged him for a few moments before letting him go. "Is it time to eat?" He jiggled up and down excitedly on the balls of his feet in anticipation. "Did you see all the food? There're chicken wings, little tiny sandwiches, all kinds of cheese, and little hot dogs! And...and they have these things on a stick named Bob!"

Brian eyed him in amusement. "Bob?"

"Shish kabobs," Jennifer explained as she walked up to stand beside them.

"Ohh," Brian responded in understanding. "Did you eat any of the food named Bob, Sonny Boy?"

Gus shook his head. "No...it had ve'tables on them." He scrunched up his nose as everyone around him laughed. "Red ones."

"I thought you _liked_ vegetables."

"They looked funny," he told his father. He glanced over at the enticing display of desserts, including the chocolate fountain and the cake. "I'd rather eat some cake. Can I, Daddy? Please?"

Emmett appeared horrified. "Oh, no, Gus! Not until your Daddy and Papa cut the cake and feed themselves a piece first. That's what you do at a wedding."

"No," Brian answered to everyone's surprise. He turned to gaze into Justin's eyes. "Before we cut the cake, my husband and I are going to have our first dance."

Justin's eyes watered again as he nodded with a delighted smile, swallowing the emotional knot in his throat as Brian took his hand and began to lead him toward the portable dance floor. Everyone stood encircling them as they walked out to the middle and stopped to face each other. "This one's for you, Justin," Brian whispered. He nodded once at the DJ, who nodded back at him. A few seconds later, the music that Brian had chosen for them to dance to - unbeknownst to Justin - began to play: _You Are the Sunshine of My Life._

A collective gasp seemed to arise from the crowd as Brian took his husband's hand in his and slid his other hand around Justin's back as Justin placed his other hand around Brian's neck. Together, they began to sway in time to the music:

 _You are the sunshine of my life_

 _That's why I'll always be around,_

 _You are the apple of my eye,_

 _Forever you'll stay in my heart_

 _I feel like this is the beginning,_

 _Though I've loved you for a million years,_

 _And if I thought our love was ending,_

 _I'd find myself drowning in my own tears._

 _You are the sunshine of my life,_

 _That's why I'll always stay around,_

 _You are the apple of my eye,_

 _Forever you'll stay in my heart,_

 _You must have known that I was lonely,_

 _Because you came to my rescue,_

 _And I know that this must be heaven,_

 _How could so much love be inside of you?_

 _You are the sunshine of my life, yeah,_

 _That's why I'll always stay around,_

 _You are the apple of my eye,_

 _Forever you'll stay in my heart._

No one needed to know how the two of them felt; as they continued to dance, their love was clearly obvious in their faces and in the soft smile that Brian was bestowing on his new husband. As the song progressed, it was as if they instinctively knew how to move in time with the music as their feet seamlessly flowed across the dance floor. At one point, just like he had done so many years before, Brian held tightly onto his lover as he dipped him backward, Justin's head almost hitting the floor, before he swung him back up; the smile and joy on Justin's face made everyone's heart skip a beat. Soon, there wasn't a dry eye among them.

Shortly afterward, the rest of the guests moved to join them, the two men switching partners so they could dance with the two women who had played such important parts in their lives. As Jennifer was swept away by her newly-married son, Debbie held her hand to her heart as Brian asked if he could cut in between her and Carl, telling her it was only fitting that the groom dance with his mother after dancing first with his 'bride.' That earned a snort from Justin nearby, a grin from Brian, and a flood of tears from his dance partner. Carl smiled accommodatingly and nodded, graciously backing away as he watched a delighted Debbie glide off with Brian leading her.

Soon the dance floor was filled with celebrants, including a reluctant Gus, who was pulled onto the dance floor by his younger but very stubborn sister, who desperately wanted to 'shake her tail feather' with the others while she was still bedecked in her frilly, new dress and shiny, patent leather shoes. The videographer shot away as Gus managed after a few swings of their hands to break away, rolling his eyes as JR watched in dismay, only to shrug after a few seconds and continue dancing on her own, caught up in all the sights and sounds. After a few minutes, Michael left Ben's side to sweep her up into his arms, the little girl shrieking with happiness as he swung her around in time with the music while he held her.

The dancers finally stopped when the song ended, and the DJ announced that it was time for the grooms to cut the cake.

Grinning bemused at a somewhat hesitant Brian, Justin grabbed his arm and eagerly pulled him toward the corner of the tent where the libations and food had been set up. As they got within a few feet of the display and he could get a closer look, Brian groaned as he noticed an obscenely large chocolate fountain set up, surrounded by a moat of strawberries and marshmallows with skewer sticks nearby. Next to the fountain was their equally obscenely-large wedding cake - a cake that was made out of multiple tiers of rainbow colors. "Shit," Brian muttered as Justin's mouth hung open in wonder, and his eyes lit up. "Which clown threw up on our cake?"

Brian smirked as he noticed the cake topper, which was the only somewhat tasteful part of it. "I think someone took some license with your height, Sunshine," he commented.

"Hey, I have the...length where it counts," he replied smugly as Brian chuckled.

"Can't argue with you there," he agreed as Justin grinned, receiving a peck on the cheek ck as a reward.

"Isn't it great?" Debbie raved as she came over to stand by them, along with several of their closest friends in addition to Justin's mom and sister Molly. "I helped Emmett make it," she proudly informed them.

Justin gave his husband a ' _you'd better behave'_ sort of look, but it was unnecessary. The last thing Brian would do to Debbie would be to insult her in any way, even though she did have the oddest sense of style and taste (well, after Emmett, anyway, so that was a lethal combination to begin with, he decided).

"Yeah, Deb," he replied after a couple of seconds. "It's very...uh, colorful." He smiled at her. "Just like you."

"Damn straight I am," she told him. "Well, you know what I mean," she added with a guffaw. "Okay, enough with this. Cut the cake, you two!" she ordered them.

Clearly thrilled to finally be able to participate in yet another wedding tradition, Justin happily reached over to pick up the silver cake slicer, arching an eyebrow expectantly at Brian, who rolled his eyes but nonetheless gripped his husband's hand as the two of them cut into the lower layer of the cake together, first one side and then the other, and then repeating the same action until they had two medium-sized wedges of the cheesecake separated from the rest of the cake. As they set the slicer down, Justin grinned impishly at him and waggled his eyebrows, immediately raising Brian's suspicions. He twisted his face as Justin giggled at him, shuddering at the thought of having cake - especially something with the soft texture of cheesecake and slathered with a ton of kaleidoscopic frosting - smashed into his face by a certain, impish blond. He knew that Justin had promised to maintain decorum as they fed each other cake. But he knew Justin...too well. "Justin...you promised me," he warned him quietly, earning what he expected was supposed to be an innocent look in return. But there was also a gleam in the familiar blue eyes, also, so he decided that wasn't very reassuring as Justin reached to pick up his piece of cake, holding it between his fingers as he arched his eyebrow expectantly at him, obviously waiting for Brian to do the same.

Resigned to his fate - whatever it might be - Brian looked around for a napkin.

"Brian...just pick the damn cake up!" Justin urged him impatiently.

His husband huffed indignantly. "I'm not getting icing all over my fingers..."

"If you do, I promise I'll clean it up for you...without using my fingers at all."

Brian considered that for a moment, deciding that didn't sound too bad after all, as the observers tittered knowingly. He arched an eyebrow at Justin and nodded. "I can live with that," he told him as everyone laughed. He reached over and gingerly picked up his piece of cheesecake, holding it between his now-sticky fingers and trying not to grimace at the somewhat oily feeling under his fingertips. Both of them could hear the soft click of several cameras nearby as they held their slices in front of each other.

"You first," Justin told him, licking his lips and grinning.

"Oh, no," Brian told him immediately. "We're doing this together."

Justin nodded. "Fine with me," he told him. "Open up," he commanded, a twinkle in his eye. "After all, it IS two of your favorite words."

More chuckles erupted as Brian smirked at him. Each of them held the piece of cheesecake toward the other's mouth, hovering within inches of each other's lips, moving closer and closer...until...

"Oh, for God's sake!" Emmett exclaimed. "Do it already!"

Brian directed his gaze at their impatient wedding planner and glared at him before turning his head back to face Justin...suddenly noticing the piece of cake was almost against his lips. He flashed a 'don't you dare' kind of look at his husband, silently praying he wouldn't do what he knew he was tempted to do, as he parted his lips and held his breath, relieved when Justin slid his fingers inside, along with the piece of cake. Brian felt obliged to return the favor, then, holding his piece out in front of Justin's mouth as his new husband obediently sucked on his fingers that just 'accidentally' happened to be attached to the dessert, unable to prevent a moan from escaping his lips.

The two men turned what should have been just a standard wedding tradition into more of a 'R-rated' exhibition as they took their time thoroughly swabbing each other's fingers before they slowly pulled them out of each other's mouths, both men grinning back at each other as Justin's tongue slid out to wipe some of the excess cake off the corner of his lips, the entire episode forever caught by the videographer.

"Mmm...best tasting cheesecake I've ever had," Brian declared smugly, eliciting a blush from his spouse.

"I totally agree," Justin replied with a nod. "Must be the icing." He chuckled as Brian scowled at him. "Well, part of it anyway."

"Uh...children?" Mel responded in exasperation at the not-so-unexpected erotic display.

Brian shrugged. "Mikey's seen it all before," he maintained as Mel rolled her eyes at him and Michael gave him a ' _Brian, come on_!' look.

"Yeah, Daddy, children!" Gus joined in as everyone looked at him. He was jiggling excitedly up and down on his feet in not-so-patient anticipation. "Children need to eat cake, too!"

Brian laughed with a nod. "Okay, Sonny Boy! One big slice of cheesecake coming up for my favorite son."

"I'm you're ONLY son," Gus astutely pointed out.

Brian grinned. "Wouldn't matter," he told him. "You'll always be the first no matter what. That makes you extra special."

That comment left Justin wondering just a bit, but for now he was too caught up in the significance of the moment as he watched Emmett and his assistants begin to slice into more of the cake.

* * *

 _Same Time..._

Sandra huffed heavily in exasperation. Her assurance to her neighbors that she would be able to control the three dogs was quickly fading, to be replaced by feelings of anxiety. Tricky seemed determined to pull his body over the top of the fence with his front paws, and twice he had almost succeeded, while her own dog kept pacing side-to-side along the fence, seemingly trying to find a hole somewhere from which to escape. Only Xena's relative smaller size as a puppy prevented their offspring from trying some Houdini work of her own, but she seemed extremely interested in what her parents were doing, eagerly trotting from one to the other as they continued their canine scheming.

"Sadie, down!" she commanded as she watched her dog join Tricky at the fence, both of them placing their paws on top as they looked longingly over at the hive of activity. She watched as Tricky hopped up and down on his hind legs, obviously trying to get enough momentum to jump over the fence. She huffed in annoyance as she reached to pull her dog down, struggling with every muscle to do so. "Stay down!" she sternly told Sadie. She patted the dog on her head, feeling a bit guilty over the tone of her voice. "Why couldn't I have had a nice, little poodle?" she bemoaned. Her attention diverted temporarily with her back to the other dog, however, she didn't notice when Tricky managed to hoist himself up just enough to pull his body over the fence and promptly jump down onto the other side.

* * *

That was all the impetus Sadie needed as she unexpectedly pulled away from her owner, backed up, and then quickly rushed toward the fence, taking a giant leap that just barely managed to clear the top.

In horror, Sandra watched as the two dogs made a direct beeline straight toward the tent unbeknownst to the guests...and the grooms. Visions of a disaster of epic proportions immediately entered her mind as she hurried over to the gate and unlatched it to rush outside and follow after them.

Xena took advantage of the opportunity to follow HER, ecstatic to find that she suddenly had her freedom. Like soldiers engaging on the front line, human and canines charged toward the tent.

* * *

 _Same Time..._

Brian rolled his eyes as he placed his hand over Justin's as the two of them ceremoniously cut the next piece of cake from the bottom tier, figuring they would only need to cut one or two slices before one of the event planners would take over. Their back to the rear of the tent, neither he nor any of the other guests noticed the newest arrivals quickly approaching from down the aisle.

"Daddy! Look!" Gus suddenly squealed as two big, furry blurs rushed up to the buffet tables. "Tricky!" he cried out excitedly. "Come here, boy!" The dog had somehow managed to secure one of the large ribbons of navy blue around his neck, and it was trailing along on the ground like some long-tailed kite as he and Sadie rumbled up to the group.

"No, Gus!" Brian warned him in alarm as he turned around and saw who their newest arrival was. But it was too late. Tricky - attracted to the navy-and-gold tablecloth's corner flapping in the breeze, grasped the enticing fabric with his teeth and spontaneously engaged in one of his favorite activities - tug-of-war. It only took two pulls with Tricky's strong back paws before the tablecloth - with the cake on top of it - started to slide partially off and the cake began to topple.

"No!" Justin cried out in disbelief. He watched helplessly as the cake teetered. "Brian, catch it!" he instructed, his husband closest to the dessert.

Brian didn't have time to respond to that with an 'are you kidding me?' type of comeback as he instinctively reached out with his hands to try and catch the top four tiers that were about to fall onto the ground, but all he managed to do was deflect them - right onto him. The soft cake splattered against his shirt and pants as he held onto a glob of cake between his hands, his mouth hung open in astonishment as he was rendered temporarily speechless.

Thinking he had accomplished something spectacular, Tricky decided to celebrate with his favorite person by jumping up onto Brian's chest. Dropping the cake he held in his hands and instinctively grabbing for whatever he could find to hold onto so he wouldn't fall, Brian made the unwise decision of reaching for the closest anchor - the tablecloth on top of the table. As he pulled on the tablecloth, the rest of the cake began to slide off. Soon Brian was flat on his back, part of the cake resting on top of his body with the rest lying scattered around him like the remnants of a cake hurricane...or more like a canine one.

A collective gasp resounded around the couple as Sadie unintentionally knocked into the adjoining table holding the chocolate fountain, causing it, too, to teeter. This time, however, there was no one to break its fall as it fell promptly onto its side, spraying a surprised Tricky with the gooey, sticky substance. The dog blinked in surprise and the room fell quiet - except for the sound of Gus giggling in delight over their antics. "Look, Daddy! Tricky really IS a chocolate lab now - just like Sadie and Xena!" He hopped up and down excitedly as his sister clapped her hands in glee. Gus reached down to wipe his index finger over Tricky's nose and then push it into his mouth before his moms, Brian, or anyone else could stop him. "Mmm," he responded with a grin as he pulled his finger back out. "That tastes good!"

Justin stood there with his mouth hanging open, trying to digest what had just happened. He shook his head, hoping it was all just a mirage. This couldn't be happening. But he knew all too well that it was reality...only Tricky could produce the disaster he was now viewing. He didn't have time to elude Tricky when he shook his body like a dog would after a bath, coating him with some of the chocolate as well.

He peered down at Brian, who blinked some of the residual chocolate out of his eyes where it, too, had sprayed him in the face. He slowly rose to his feet, struggling to maintain his dignity as he stood up straight and took a moment to smooth out his drenched shirt as he pulled on his shirt tails. He noticed everyone staring at him, no doubt waiting for the typical volcano to erupt. But all he could think about for some reason was how damned unbelievable it all was...and how ludicrous it looked.

He sighed as he faced Justin, who had been battle damaged, also, although not as much as he. "Well, Sunshine, like they say...for batter or for worse, I guess." He reached over to mimic his son's action as he swiped his finger through a glop of icing that had become stuck to Justin's cheek. He stuck his finger in his mouth to suck the icing off before he smirked at their guests, acting as if nothing unusual had occurred. Tricky peered up at him, and at the first sideways glance from Brian, he began to wag his tail furiously at him as if he had just performed a great feat.

Suddenly the music roared back to life as the DJ blared out a new tune. The crowd couldn't help tittering in reaction. It wasn't every day that _Who Let the Dogs Out_ was played at a wedding reception.

It was then that even Brian couldn't stand it anymore. The disgust he thought he would feel over what had happened transformed into laughter that slowly bubbled to the surface as he looked over at Justin. If he looked halfway as ridiculous as his husband did, he knew their dignity had already been shot to hell. Justin slowly began to grin at him and then giggled. "It's not funny, Justin! We look like a couple of hot fudge sundaes!" He tried to sound aggravated and disgusted, but he couldn't help grinning ruefully back at him instead.

"Oh, my God!" Sandra cried out as she finally caught up to her charges. She looked on in horror at all the calamity they had caused. "Oh, no...I'm so sorry!" She bit her lip in apprehension. "Tricky pulled himself over the fence and then Sadie jumped out after him...And Xena...Where is she?" She looked for the puppy, noticing her over near some of the appetizers, gnawing on what looked like one of the shish kabobs; she could see what appeared to be a silver skewer between her big paws while she happily munched on a chunk of steak. "Xena!" she called over to her. The dog merely lifted her head briefly with interest and cocked her head, her eyes lighting up in reaction to her name being called, before she turned her attention back to her treat.

Sandra sighed. "I'll round up the dogs. I promise! Oh, my God!" she exclaimed again, trying to take all of it in. How did three dogs cause such a mess in such a short period of time? She looked around helplessly until Ted and Blake walked over to her. "We'll help you," they offered as she nodded at them gratefully. "Blake, you get Xena the Warrior Princess over there...and I'll try to grab Tricky. You can take care of your own dog," Ted told Sandra, who nodded in agreement.

"Theodore, I take everything back that I've said about you," Brian told him solemnly, impressed that his friend and associate would even try to control the beast.

"Thanks...I think," Ted remarked as Sandra handed him one of the leashes she had brought with her - the heavy-duty one that was the strongest one the manufacturer made. The one that was guaranteed to keep any dog under control and restrained at all times. _Yeah...right._ Now she knew better. But it would have to do for now.

Ted, however, found that he was no match for a dog the size of a wooly mammoth. As soon as he tried to grasp the dog's collar to click the leash to it, he lurched forward, almost causing him to tumble onto the slippery floor as Tricky dragged him a few feet Only through Carl stepping forward and intervening did the two of them manage to get him leashed and restrained.

The reluctant, lovelorn dog was finally led away toward the creek in the back of the property where he could be washed off. Blake and Xena soon joined them, as Sandra took hold of Sadie, grimacing as she felt the dog's sticky fur. Tricky hadn't been the only one to get covered with chocolate.

"Gus, where are you going?" Lindsay called out to her son as he turned to follow the contingent heading toward the creek.

"I'm going with them!"

"I thought you wanted cake?" Although she had to admit, the cake - well, what was left of it, anyway, on the table - didn't look too appetizing.

"I'll get some later," was the surprising reply from the little boy. "I'm going to the creek to hunt salamanders!"

Lindsay groaned as she rushed after him. "Not in that suit, young man!" She could be heard saying as she hurried to catch up to him. "Gus! Wait for me!"

Debbie shook her head in sympathy as she looked at her two boys. "You look like shit," she told them flatly. "But good enough to eat!" she added with a guffaw over her own joke.

"Gee, thanks, Deb," Brian told her. "Always the flatterer." He wrinkled his nose. "I guess we've looked better," he had to admit. He noticed the DJ's choice of tune had ended, and he was now playing a somewhat familiar Michael Jackson tune. He had to think for a few seconds before the title came to him: _Dirty Diana_. He rolled his eyes as Justin covered his mouth to hide his smile. "Michael?"

"Yeah?"

"Tell the smart-ass DJ to play _Take this Job and Shove It_ , because the musical portion of our entertainment is now over." He looked down at his shirt in disgust, plastered to his chest. "Great. Now I'm a fucking Hershey bar." He wrinkled his nose. "I need another shower now."

"A wedding shower?" Justin asked innocently. "I _like_ Hershey bars," he added.

"You like ALL food."

Justin shrugged, deciding not to argue that statement. "Well, I think I need a wedding shower now, too."

Brian gave him a thorough ogling, so much so that it made Justin blush. "Yeah, you definitely do, Sunshine." He looked around to his audience before addressing Emmett. "Emmy Lou, you can serve the cake now."

"But...It's...It's in shatters," he couldn't help pointing out. All that icing, all that rainbow beadwork he had done by hand with the multi-colored candies, all for naught. All destroyed in a matter of minutes by a furry bulldozer and his henchmen. All that remained were chunks of cake with a little colored glitter and a few candies interspersed on top of the table. Even the two grooms he had so meticulously placed on the top were now lying on their side, looking decidedly unregal.

"It's not the look that's important," Brian commented. "What?" he pressed when he received an odd look from his friend.

"Oh, my God! I never...!"

"You haven't done a _lot_ of things I've done," Brian told Emmett with a smirk. "Which one?"

"I've never heard you say that!"

"What?"

"That looks don't matter!" He looked at Brian in disbelief. _Could getting married have changed him that much? First he doesn't explode when the dogs ruin their wedding cake and topple over the chocolate fountain. And now he doesn't care about appearances?_

"I only meant the cake," he corrected him, making Emmett feel just a bit better that they hadn't lost the fashion-plate, narcissistic Brian they all knew and loved. He snorted. "You think I would be seen in public looking like this? Why do you think I'm going to go take a shower?"

"So you can fuck Justin...again?" Daphne volunteered with a knowing smile.

"Daphne!" Mel scolded her as she covered JR's ears and held her in place. The little girl squirmed under her mom's touch before sliding out from her grasp, bestowing an irritated look on her. Mel sighed, not surprised that her impatient, active daughter wouldn't cater too well to being held stationery for long.

Brian grabbed Justin's wrist. "Come on, Chocolate Boy. You've gotten really dirty, and now you need some serious intervention."

Justin giggled as Brian quickly pulled him toward the back of the tent. "Feel free to go on without us!" Brian shouted as they left the tent and headed back to the house.


	13. Epilogue: RegretsI've had a few

_he boys' wedding day slowly winds down. Will Brian have any regrets?_

"I always wanted to pour some chocolate sauce all over your body...and then take my time licking it all off," Brian whispered hotly in Justin's ear as they showered together. His sultry suggestion - along with his long fingers slowly stroking Justin's shoulders - was making his husband horny as hell.

He groaned. "God, Brian, we just fucked, and now you do _that_?"

"What?"

"Speak that...that _dirty_ talk! We have guests out there, and since our wedding ceremony we've probably seen them for a grand total of, what? Fifteen minutes?"

"Oh, so you don't _want_ me to pour chocolate sauce all over you like some lip-smacking sundae and lick you clean?" Brian leaned in from his position behind his husband to lick Justin's neck for a preview, his tongue slowly sliding down the warm, slippery flesh until it reached his collarbone. He heard Justin moan as he nipped his skin there and then licked it to sooth the irritation. "I'll even throw in some of that hideous whipped cream you like to put on everything."

"Brian..." Justin's whispery plea caused Brian's cock to stir even more to attention. "Our guests..." Despite his protestations, he closed his eyes in pleasure as Brian's body pressed against his, clearly broadcasting his desire for him. He knew his entreaty was only half-sincere as he turned around to press his lips against his husband's. The kiss - which began as more of a tentative, gentle one - soon progressed into a passionate, ardent one as their arms wound around each other to hold each other tight. They were so consumed with their renewed lovemaking, in fact, that they didn't notice they had a visitor.

"Brian?" Justin whispered as they finally broke off their kiss, and he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. His eyes widened as he recognized who it was.

"Hmm..." Brian was only half-listening as he reached for the lube located on the shower's built-in sink when he was stopped by Justin's hand gripping his wrist. He frowned at him. "What?" he asked in confusion. "You don't want to...?" He couldn't even believe he was asking that. It was like asking Ted if he liked opera. Both were foregone conclusions.

"No...I mean, yes!" Justin assured him, appearing distracted for some reason. "But...I'd rather not do it with an audience."

"Wha...?" Brian turned around then to see a big, blond, furry reflection staring back at him. He couldn't clearly see the form's outline, but he could readily tell who it was by the way its tail was rapidly wagging back and forth. If that didn't give it away, the loud, joyous, deep bark that then reverberated throughout their master bathroom quickly revealed who it was...that, and the sound of frustrated whining.

"Oh, no," Brian groaned in dismay.

Not getting what he wanted after a few seconds, Tricky decided to take matters into his own hands...uh, paws...by jumping up against the frosted glass shower stall and rapidly skimming his front paws up and down on the glass as he tried furiously to get the door open.

"What the fuck!?" Brian growled. "How did _he_ get in here? I thought Ted and Carl took him out to the creek to drown him...uh, bathe him!"

Justin shrugged. "How does he ALWAYS manage to get in here? I have no idea!" He heard a familiar voice then, causing his eyes to widen in alarm. "Oh, shit!" He exclaimed as he heard Gus calling for the dog. "Brian, we can't let him see us this way! Open the door!"

"Are you fucking kidding me, Justin? Do you not see what is out there? No way am I opening that door for King Kong!"

Justin knew they were running out of time; any moment now, Brian's son would be popping his head in here to look for Tricky...and he would definitely be getting an eyeful if he did. "Brian, I don't CARE if he's out there! We can't let Gus see us like this!"

"Why the hell not? He's seen a cock before; in fact, last time I gave him a bath, I noticed he had one attached to his body. It's not like we're fucking...thanks to HIM," Brian muttered as the dog continued to rapidly slide his front paws up and down on the glass as he yelped in frustration. "Hey! Cut that out, you party-wrecking weapon of mass destruction!" Brian snapped as he pounded his hand against the shower glass to try and dislodge him to no avail. "You're going to scratch it up! Do you know how much that fucking glass cost?!"

"Brian...! He'll be in here any minute!" Justin sternly reminded him as he squeezed his wrist for emphasis.

"Oh, for the love of..." Brian sighed heavily as he turned off the water. Taking a deep breath to steel himself, he none too gently pushed the shower door open, startling Tricky, who suddenly found himself without any support. The determined dog briefly lost his balance, but he quickly recovered as he stood in front of Brian and rapidly spun around and around in jubilation, his tail wagging even more furiously now that his 'idol' had opened the door. "Stay back!" Brian warned him, picking up the toilet bowl scrubber that sat on the floor nearby, disguised behind some hideous, black-and-white ceramic Dalmatian that Debbie had seen fit to gift them with at their housewarming party. Justin had taken a liking to the tacky object, and had insisted on keeping it in their bathroom. Brian never thought he would need it for this, however. "I'm armed!" he warned him, knowing how ridiculous that sounded, but hoping that Tricky might think by the tone of his voice that he meant business. Naturally, however, that did not seem to faze their intruder in the least.

"Brian!" Justin protested, as his husband quickly moved to stand behind him as if he were some human shield of armor. "Stop being such a drama queen! You're not going to fend him off with some Tidy Bowl scrubber!" he reprimanded him, feeling his husband's fingers gripping his shoulder tightly; so much so that he knew he would have a bruise mark there soon. "It's just a dog, for God's sake!"

"That is NOT a dog!" Brian retorted, shifting back and forth on his feet behind Justin to avoid being assaulted. For a large dog, Tricky was surprisingly agile, but then again, so was he. He hadn't played dodge ball at recess in school for nothing. "He's Freddy Kruger, only with fur!"

Justin huffed as he tried to push away from his husband, who was steadfastly continuing to hide behind him, still holding onto the toilet bowl scrubber with one hand, and his shoulder with the other, his fingers digging into his flesh. "Brian, do you mind? Your son will be here any second, and I'm naked here!"

"No, I don't mind you being naked," Brian responded with a smirk as Justin rolled his eyes in aggravation. "And you wear it well, by the way."

Justin opened his mouth to issue a snappy rejoinder, only to be interrupted by something else. "Tricky! Tricky, where ARE you? Daddy doesn't want you in here!" _Oh, shit. Gus has to be coming into their bedroom..._

"Brian, that is your SON!" Justin hissed in a stage whisper. "And he'll be in here any second! Now stop using me like I'm some hostage in a kidnapping, and at least let me get a fucking _towel_!" He shook his head in irritation as he began to shuffle toward the towel rack, Brian still latched onto him from behind like the rear end of a tractor trailer. Finally able to reach one of the bath sheets, Justin snatched the nearest one off the heated towel rack and quickly wrapped it around his waist and tied it, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Hey!" Brian growled as another towel landed on top of his head, blinding him from his adversary. As soon as he pulled it off his head to look around, he knew he was in trouble, because he had broken his grasp of Justin's shoulder to pull the towel away, only to notice Tricky had gotten even closer. "Mfpff!" he managed to say as Tricky rose onto his back paws like a steed rearing up and caused Brian to stumble backwards, his back slamming the shower stall door closed as Tricky pinned him up against the glass and began to lick him enthusiastically. Brian thrashed his head from side to side, his hands gripping either side of the canine's head to try and avoid him, but he was no match for his opponent, not when the dog outweighed him by at least 50 lbs. "Get him off me! Get him off me!" Brian yelled, wincing as Tricky's big, wet tongue licked him right on the mouth. "Get my Scope! Fuck!" Tricky was so excited, his entire body was vibrating with joy, making Brian feel like he was in the midst of a major earthquake.

"Tricky!" Gus reprimanded his dog sternly as he rushed into the master bathroom. "There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you!" Gus didn't seem the least bit concerned that Tricky was presently pelting his father with affection. "Papa, is there any more cake?"

Justin covered his mouth to avoid any signs of amusement, afraid that Brian would probably not look too kindly upon that sort of reaction. "You didn't get any outside, Gus?" He knew there had been some of it left intact on the table.

Gus shook his head. "Only a little. I tried to pick some more off the floor, but Mommy wouldn't let me. Uncle Em promised to make some more for me, though." He peered over at his father, who was still trying to dislodge himself from the mound of fur that was holding him hostage

"Hey, man being pummeled here!" Brian yelled. He was having difficulty building up any sense of indignation while the wind was practically knocked out of his lungs - not to mention carrying on any real type of conversation - as Tricky continued to assault him. But he had to try _something_ , or risk suffocation. "Jus...Justin!" he huffed out between breaths. "Do...do something!" His mouth hung open in astonishment as he watched Justin rush out of the room then, leaving him defenseless. His eyes widened in both alarm and disbelief. "Jus..." He gave up, then, just letting Tricky continue to lick him with his thick, flat tongue...a tongue that was the size of Milwaukee.

"Tricky, come on!" Gus cried out, trying evidently to do what he could to end his father's suffering, even though he didn't see it that way. He was merely getting a little tired of his own dog giving his father more attention than he was getting, and he wanted to go back outside. "Let's go outside!" he told the dog, raising his voice excitedly and patting his upper leg in hopes it would have an effect. He thought it was doing the trick (no pun intended) when his dog paused for a few seconds as if to consider it, but then he resumed his tongue-washing, his entire body shaking as his tail wagged back and forth. Brian closed his eyes, wondering when the nightmare would end, when all of a sudden he heard a familiar sound.

 _Moo! Moo! Moo!_

Brian gasped in surprise as Tricky abruptly jumped down off him, his chest heaving as he fought to regain some oxygen. His lungs, which had felt like they were about to explode, sucked in the oxygen greedily as Brian sighed in tremendous relief, watching as Tricky rushed over to try and snatch his favorite toy out of Justin's grasp. Justin had the foresight to turn and throw the toy out into the hall, where Tricky promptly took off after it in pursuit. As soon as Tricky was outside the bedroom, Justin quickly closed the door behind him. In a few seconds, a scratching sound could be heard as the dog realized he had been conned.

Brian groaned, partly from the relief of having the equivalent of a two-ton truck finally removed, and partly from envisioning what said two-ton truck was no doubt presently doing to their expensive, mahogany door.

As if sensing his concern, Justin replied, "Would you rather be crushed to death, or expend a little elbow grease to re-stain the door?" Not waiting for Brian to answer, he turned to the little boy to say, "Gus, see if you can get Tricky to go outside now, okay? Your father and I will be out in a little while...after I perform some CPR." Justin placed his hand on top of Gus's shoulder as he led the little boy over to the door. He turned around to face Brian, long enough to tell him to close the bathroom door for protection, but found he didn't need to; as soon as he and Gus started heading toward the door, Brian wasted no time in shutting the other door behind them and dead bolting it. Grinning, Justin walked over to the bedroom door, and braced himself before slowly turning the lock and cracking the door open. He was promptly knocked on his ass as Tricky barged in with the stuffed cow toy in his mouth, searching frantically for Brian. Justin sighed as he rose stiffly to his feet, rubbing his ass where he had fallen onto the hardwood floor. He shook his head. "Gus, please try and get your dog to go outside," he told him. "Go get him a couple of jerky treats from his treat jar in your room, and see if he'll follow you downstairs with that, okay?" He had to admit that he and Tricky had _that_ in common: promise them the right sort of food, and they would do practically anything to get it. At least he was hoping that would work this time.

Gus nodded. "Okay, Papa," he agreed, as he turned and rushing out the door and down the hallway toward his room. Returning in a couple of minutes, he dutifully dangled the jerky treats in front of Tricky as he stood in the doorway. He shrieked in delight as Tricky bounded toward him and he ran out the bedroom door toward the landing near the stairs, his dog in hot pursuit.

"Hold onto the railing, Gus!" Justin shouted from the doorway as the little boy practically flew down the steps, one hand holding onto the banister as he clutched the jerky treats in his other hand. He walked over to the stairs to peer downward, relieved when he saw Gus safely reach the first floor and scurry toward the backdoor. A few minutes later, he heard the sliding glass door opening and closing as he slumped against the wall, feeling like he and Brian had just survived a Category 5 hurricane. In a way, they had. He could think of no other animal who could do so much damage in so little time as THIS pooch.

He heard the bathroom door quietly open then as Brian warily peeked his head out the door.

"You can come out now, Lion King," he teased his husband as Brian glared at him. "The beast has been contained, and is now back out in the jungle where he belongs. Your big, strong son lured him out there...with a couple of jerky treats."

Brian sighed in relief as he opened the door wider, glancing around to make sure he was, indeed, finally safe from any further 'showers of affection.' He walked over to Justin to stand beside him. "What?" he asked in response to his husband's odd expression.

Justin shook his head over Brian's lack of dress. "Well, I like the jewelry you're wearing...but your outfit leaves a little...fabric to be desired. You're still not dressed after all this?" Brian had managed to tie the bath sheet around his waist by now, the luxurious towel presently lying slung low on his slim hips, making for a quite alluring sight, Justin had to admit, as his eyes instinctively traveled downward before lifting to stare his husband in the face, his cheeks warming as he realized he had been caught.

"I don't think _you're_ complaining," his husband pointed out smugly. "You're wearing the exact same thing I'm wearing."

Justin eyed him sheepishly. "Yeah...I guess you're right," he admitted with a wry smile. He walked closer to his husband, curling his fingers over the edge of the cloth and pulling on it. Untying it, he let it drop at Brian's feet, his gaze lingering on his husband's cock, which was definitely showing interest in this latest development. He locked gazes with Brian as he reached to untie his own towel, discarding it haphazardly at his own feet. "Well...no sense in wasting an opportunity," he told him with a sexy smirk as he slid his hands, palms down, up Brian's smooth chest.

Brian arched an eyebrow. "What happened to hurrying outside to our guests?"

Justin shrugged as he linked his hands behind Brian's neck. "They can entertain themselves...while we entertain each other. After all, it IS our wedding day, right?"

Brian grinned. "I like the way you think, Sunshine."

Justin laughed. "I'm a smart little fucker."

"Well, you're smart, anyway." Brian commented with a pointed look and an arch of his eyebrow, laughing himself as he received a smack on the chest.

"That remains to be seen... _husband_." He practically whispered the last word, almost as if he were still trying to get used to the idea.

" _What_ remains to be seen?"

"Just who's going to be the fucker...and who's going to be the fuckee."

Brian chortled. "That's not even a word, Mr. 1500 SAT." He trailed one long finger down the middle of Justin's chest, watching the warm skin beneath his touch shiver in response. "Besides, that's tonight," he reminded him.

"Ohh...so you fuck me now, and I fuck you tonight. Okay, I can live with that."

Brian smirked as he pushed Justin down onto the bed. Draping himself over the smaller body, he smiled. "I can live with that, too."

 _Thirty Minutes Later..._

"Brian?"

"Hmm?"

"Do we have to go back outside?" Justin drew an imaginary circle around Brian's left nipple as he lay on his side, half-on, half-off his husband's body, Brian's arm wrapped around his waist to hold him close. He took his left leg and slowly trailed it tantalizingly up and down Brian's calf and lower leg. He felt drowsy, warm, and totally sated. The last thing he wanted to do at the moment was move from their bed.

Brian lifted his head slightly to peer into his husband's eyes, feeling his pulse speed up just a bit as Justin stared back at him thoughtfully, a sleepy smile on his face. _He could drown in those eyes right now_ , he decided, then promptly dismissed that absurdly lesbionic thought as he pointed out, "I thought you were the one who _wanted_ to go back out."

Justin appeared a little embarrassed as he nodded, "I did. I _do_. Just...not quite yet." He smiled sheepishly at him as he continued to trace a circular pattern around Brian's nipple before palming it, hearing Brian's intake of breath as the nub rose to stiff attention. Brian reached up to grasp his hand to keep him from continuing - since he was finding it hard to concentrate on their conversation at the moment - as Justin explained, "I...just want to lie here with you a little longer...and savor it."

"Why does that sound like I'm a fine wine or something?"

Justin grinned as he brought Brian's hand up to his mouth and kissed the palm. "That's because you are," he told him. "You're a fine whiner." He laughed at the indignant look he received in reaction. "Uh...a fine wine...yeah...that's what I meant."

Brian smiled back at him in amusement. "That's better."

Justin continued to hold his hand in his, gazing at it quietly before he replied, "I'm glad you decided to wear the ring, Brian. You knew what that would mean to me." He raised Brian's fingers toward his mouth, only to stop at the last minute as his husband squeezed his hand to get his attention. "What?"

"Tell me you are NOT going to kiss that ring, Justin. I am NOT the Pope...and that is NOT sanitary. Justin, you know where that ring has been!"

Justin laughed. "Well, Your Eminence...You will never be accused of being the Pope," he agreed. "But I don't care about the other thing." He began to pull Brian's hand toward his mouth again, only to be stymied once more as his husband resisted. "Brian!"

"Your lips are not going to touch that ring...or they will not be touching my _mouth_ afterward."

Justin rolled his eyes. "And this from the man who regularly worships my hole before fucking me into oblivion. Would you care to explain the difference there?"

Brian stammered uncharacteristically. "Well...there is one." At the moment, though, Brian couldn't really verbalize it properly. There was definitely a difference.

But Justin wouldn't let it go. "Oh? Do tell."

Brian thought a certain blond was enjoying this conversation way too much as he fidgeted awkwardly. "Well...it just is, that's all."

Justin grinned. "The apocalypse has just arrived. The normally glib and confident Brian Kinney... unable to make anything come out of his mouth for once. Quick! Alert the media!"

"Oh...I can make something come out of my mouth, all right," Brian retorted. Justin grunted in surprise and then giggled as he was promptly flipped onto his back, his sexy lover towering over him. His laughter promptly died in his throat, however, as Brian slid down his body and promptly latched his lips around his cock, which was pulsing rapidly in response. He arched his back and gasped, his mouth open in an 'O' shape, as he gloried in the sensations flowing through him. "Ahhh..." He moaned in pleasure as Brian's lips and tongue got to work. "Oh, fuck..." No one could give head like Brian could. Of course, the fact that this amazing man also loved him deeply made the emotions even more intense. He felt Brian's hands gripping his thighs as he fisted the sheets beside him. Sure enough, it didn't take long for Brian's vow to come true as he exploded in ecstasy shortly afterward, his body quivering for several seconds after he climaxed. Brian slid back up his body, a smug smile on his face, sharing a deep kiss with him before finally pulling back to stare down at him.

"Now let's see how glib YOU are," Brian told him with a grin as he twisted his body to lie on his back beside his husband and lifted his eyebrows expectantly.

Justin laughed as he willingly reciprocated, telling Brian what he needed to say without uttering a word.

 _One Hour Later...Back Patio..._

"Brian...will you please get your ass outside? They're secure."

"There is no such thing as _secure_ with them. That's what they said about Alcatraz, too, and look what happened."

Justin rolled his eyes as he pulled on his husband's wrist, shutting the backdoor firmly behind them before Brian could change his mind and escape back inside. He shook his head. "Brian Kinney...protector of all, staunch defender of his friends, able to take down the strongest of advertising opponents in a single bound. Whipped by a trio of canines."

Brian huffed as he looked around to make sure the dogs truly WERE contained. He peered up at the fenced-in area, noticing no one there, and his heart began to race. "If YOU were continually molested at every turn by that...that Mack truck and his family, you would be a little skittish, too, JT."

Justin grinned. "I think I see a new idea for the next issue of Rage."

"Oh, no you don't! I...uh, Rage has a reputation to uphold!"

Justin laughed at the horrified look on his husband's face as he patted his arm. "Don't worry, Superhero. I wouldn't do that to you. This will be a secret between you and me...oh, and all our wedding guests."

Brian groaned, realizing everyone in attendance had seen Tricky and cohorts at their best...and him at his worst. He wondered how many of their so-called family and friends had recorded his embarrassing mishap for posterity...and for posting on social media afterward. "Oh, shit," he muttered in dismay as Justin eyed him sympathetically. "That mutt is going to kill me yet - one way or the other."

Justin grasped his arm to lean over and kiss him on the cheek. "I'll protect you," he whispered to him as they noticed some of the remaining guests walking toward them from the tent. It was obvious that most of them had left, but a few of their dearest friends and their family had remained.

Brian was about to express his grudging gratitude before Justin explained, "At least until tomorrow; I wouldn't want to miss out on my chance to fuck you on our wedding night."

Brian scowled at him. "Gee, thanks. I'm touched."

"You'll be even _more_ touched after I get done with you tonight."

"Pretty cocky, aren't you?"

"Oh, yeah...VERY cocky. And you'll find out just HOW cocky tonight."

"Yeah, yeah...Just don't get too used to it, Sunshine. Tricky's not the ONLY one who likes to lick butts; just remember that, got it?"

Justin giggled at the thought of Brian comparing himself to his worst nightmare. "Got it," he replied, just as several of their friends, along with Debbie and Jennifer, reached them.

"Well! Nice of you to stop fucking long enough to make an appearance," Debbie squawked. "If that's all you wanted to do, you could have done THAT without getting married," she pointed out.

"Yeah, that's the only reason why I got dressed up in a monkey suit, had cake spilled all over me like I was some fucking mixing bowl, and agreed to wear a ring that had been lying in dog shit...all because I wanted to do what I do every day with the youngster here."

Justin huffed in protest at the 'youngster' reference, but he couldn't help noticing that Brian's response seemed to quiet Debbie down a bit as she mumbled, "Well, it's still rude to keep all of us waiting out here while you and Sunshine here celebrated your union prematurely."

Justin chose to ignore Debbie's protests as he turned to Ted, who was standing nearby. "I almost hate to ask, but for Brian's safety I have to. Where is the canine welcome wagon?"

Ted grinned. "You will be glad to know that your neighbor offered to keep them over at her house for a few hours...I suspect out of an immense sense of guilt over what happened earlier."

Brian snorted. "Has everyone forgotten that her own dog jumps out of their fence on a daily basis? That's how our resident stud wound up getting her knocked up...and how I wound up with Justin's daughter."

"Hey! She doesn't look anything like me!"

"You both have the same appetite, and you both eat crap."

Daphne giggled, earning a glare from her best friend. She shrugged. "Well, you DO eat a lot...and your favorite food is Orioles slathered with peanut butter. And you told me Xena's favorite flavor of dog biscuit is peanut butter..."

Justin smacked both sides of his head with his hands in exasperation as everyone tittered. "Can we get back to the subject at hand?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah," Ted remarked. "Not to fear. We helped your neighbor put them in the house, so even Tricky can't escape. She said she'd call you in a few hours to come and get them."

"Oh, I'll hurry with that," Brian commented dryly. He sighed in relief; at least for a few hours he wouldn't have to worry about being knocked down, licked, cake-bombed, or covered in slobber. "Where's Gus?"

"He's over at Sandra's house, having a blast playing with them. Mel and Lindsay are there, too, just to make sure things don't get too out of hand. They figured that was the best wedding present they could give you."

Brian nodded. They got THAT right, he decided. "I think I could use a drink right about now," he decided as he peered over at Justin to explain, "So I can make a toast - to never mix dogs and weddings together."

 _Later that Evening - Britin_

Lying lengthwise on the study's leather couch with his husband reclining in front of him, Brian refused to acknowledge that he was - shudder - cuddling. But whatever it was called, it felt damn good. At last, the other occupants of the house - human as well as canine - were all asleep, with Tricky and Xena taking their customary spots on either side of Gus in his racecar bed upstairs. Some light jazz music playing on the nearby CD player and the room lit intimately with only nearby candlelight, he leaned back and closed his eyes, relishing the stillness and the feeling of holding Justin in his arms.

"Brian?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you regret any of this?"

Brian opened his eyes. "Regret any of what?"

"The wedding...wearing your original ring...not going on our honeymoon right away...letting me bring Xena home, and allowing Gus to bring Tricky with him...take your pick." Justin slowly stroked the gleaming band snugly fitted on Brian's left hand as he bit his lip. It had been one hell of a day...one hell of a week. Any sane man would have run far away by now.

Brian glanced around the room, his eyes focusing on one of Xena's numerous dog beds that were scattered throughout the house, his son's favorite red truck lying near the corner of the room where he had been playing with it yesterday, one of Tricky's lime green tennis balls resting against the brick fireplace mantel where he had dropped it earlier in the day, and a couple of Justin's sketchpads thrown haphazardly on the table nearby. It sure made for a chaotic household, he had to admit.

He smiled then as he tightened his grip around his husband's waist. "No, Sunshine," he told him softly. "I don't regret a thing."


End file.
